


Angels

by kethni



Category: Veep (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi, Request Meme, Threesome - F/F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-01-26 07:51:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21370699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: ‘Sue, Kent thinks we had sex with him because we needed a guy as a sex toy,’ Amy said.
Relationships: Amy Brookheimer/Kent Davison, Kent Davison/Sue Wilson, Sue Wilson/Amy Brookheimer, Sue Wilson/Amy Brookheimer/Kent Davison
Comments: 36
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For CrazyMaryT with thanks for the request and suggestions. 
> 
> Please note - no statement on abortion is intended by this story or a statement on Amy's canon decision to have one.

She woke up face down on the couch, a dried-up plate of chilli stuck to her cheek, and wine soaking into the carpet.

Her cell was bleeping. She sat up and tried to keep her balance as the world lurched. She turned off the alarm and squinted at the event on her calendar.

Fuck. That was today? Jesus Christ. Maybe she could just skip it. What was the worst that could happen?

Ugh.

She tapped the number in as she headed to the bathroom. She double checked before she hit connect. She’d learned _that_ lesson. Finally.

Answer the damn phone! Jesus! It was _literally_ the least he could do. Probably too busy sleeping with teenagers.

She sank onto the toilet. She’d actually thought he might change. That somewhere deep down there was a grownup. That he could step up and be a father to their child. What the hell had she been thinking? He wasn’t capable of that. She might as well have asked a… a…_desk_ to be a father and partner.

So now what?

***

Amy tapped furiously at her cell as the car drew up. ‘Hey,’ she said, seeing the familiar shadow fall across her.

‘Good morning,’ Kent said. He opened the car door for her. ‘Do you have luggage?’

‘I’m not staying,’ Amy said. ‘It’s just a follow up. It’s mostly just in case there’s a problem. But there won’t be.’

It was a very Kent kind of weird that he opened and closed the door for her. A very Kent kind of weird that he agreed to drive her to the clinic without any question. They weren’t even on the same campaign. But Kent considered her a friend for whatever weird Kent reason. His Christmas presents were always _way_ better than Ben’s. It was better giving gift cards as she did than pass off the random crap bottles of booze that Ben was clearly regifting.

She didn’t ask how things were going with Selina. She didn’t even take the opportunity to vent her spleen about Selina, and that was _very_ tempting. It wasn’t really fair to Kent. He wasn’t Gary. He was working for Selina because it was a job, not because he had any particular affection or loyalty to her. Amy snorted. He was smarter than she was. Smarter than Ben was.

‘Working for Jonah seems to suit you better than it did me,’ Kent said.

‘Different situation,’ she admitted. ‘If I’d been trapped in that tiny little office watching him achieve _nothing_ then I’d have gone insane.’

He glanced at the dress that she was wearing. ‘Uh-huh.’

Amy narrowed her eyes. ‘I can change up my look. It doesn’t mean anything.’

Kent tapped his thumbs on the steering wheel. ‘No judgement was intended.’

‘You’re in a _biker gang_,’ Amy said. ‘Okay? I could say some stuff about that.’

He pursed his lips. ‘A motorcycle club,’ he corrected. ‘We’re a social group not a criminal enterprise.’

‘Do you ride around in a suit and tie? No. You dress for the situation. That’s all I’m doing.’

Up ahead she could see the protestors. She groaned softly. ‘Damn it.’

‘I’ll walk you in,’ Kent said.

‘You don’t have to do that,’ she said weakly.

‘Good manners indicate differently,’ he said firmly. 

She’d just told him it was a clinic. On some level she was really hoping that the hot weather would have put off the protestors or maybe she could slip in the back or something. It wasn’t surprising that he had no particular response to it being this kind of clinic. He’d never expressed the slightest opinion on the entire thorny topic. She wouldn’t have expected anything else from him. 

She wouldn’t have expected him to move in front of her to shield her from the shoving and the flailing arms. She wouldn’t have expected him to smoothly segue from that to moving around and behind her as she reached the door.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked, shutting the door.

‘Fine.’ She tried to breath normally.

‘I thought that this situation had already been resolved?’ he asked.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Did you know you had to have a follow-up three weeks later? I didn’t. Gotta get it done now because if it failed, I don’t have much time to get that stuff done again.’

Kent looked thoughtful. ‘I wasn’t aware it could fail although I suppose every medical procedure has some failure rate.’

Amy snorted. ‘How about beheadings?’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘If your medical provider if offering beheadings as a procedure, I would seriously consider changing them.’

‘Smartass.’

***

She grabbed Kent’s hand. She didn’t mean to. For fuck’s sake. She didn’t think she’d ever touched him before.

‘What do you mean?’ she demanded.

The doctor held up her hands. ‘I understand that this is a shock. It can happen but it’s relatively rare.’

‘Do you have any idea how much pain I was in?’ she growled. ‘How much _blood_ there was?’

‘Could there have been twins?’ Kent suggested.

‘Well –’ the doctor said.

‘How does that matter!’ Amy demanded.

Kent put her hand between his. ‘Okay, would you like me to leave you to discuss your options?’

‘No!’ Amy pressed her hand to her forehead. ‘I don’t have any options.’

‘Not for very long anyway,’ the doctor said. She stepped back at Amy’s glower. ‘You’re quite close to the limit.’

Kent held up his free hand. ‘My friend has just had a considerable shock. Can you not at least offer her a beverage and a moment of quiet before continuing?’

‘Thanks Kent,’ Amy said.

He perched on the side of the bed as the doctor scurried away. ‘Is there someone you’d like me to call?’

She shook her head. ‘I tried calling Dan.’

Kent raised his eyebrows. ‘Surely you have other people upon whom you can depend? Your sister. Your parents. Your friends. I’m aware that Dan is biologically the father, but he hardly seems… reliable for emotional support.’

Amy stared at him. ‘Where were you when I was seriously thinking of keeping this kid?’

Kent pursed his lips. ‘You decided against it because Dan declined to be involved?’

She shrugged. ‘What was I gonna do, raise a kid by myself?’

‘A great many people do,’ Kent said mildly. ‘My sister did.’

‘I have a career,’ Amy said.

He nodded. ‘You don’t owe me an explanation. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.’

‘You asked!’

‘You clearly wanted to talk about it.’ He shrugged. ‘I’m willing to listen.’

Amy rubbed her eyes. ‘Your cell is buzzing.’

‘It’s Ben. He’s demanding to know where I am.’

‘What are you, psychic?’

He held up his arm. ‘The messages come up on my watch.’

‘Oh,’ she said sheepishly. ‘Those smartwatches always seemed pretentious.’

Kent shrugged. ‘There was a time when people said that about cell phones. You may be too young to remember.’

‘It’s probably horribly… you know,’ Amy said. ‘I had the procedure and I’ve been drinking normally since then.’

‘There are probably tests,’ Kent said. ‘But, forgive me, you seem to be attempting to talk yourself into this. Are you clear in what you want?’

Amy shook her head. ‘No.’

***

They went for a coffee. Kent was sending out seemingly endless texts. She couldn’t remember a time when he was spending more time on his cell than she was.

‘Cake?’ he asked.

‘Does this dress look like I can eat cake?’ She crossed her arms.

He shrugged. ‘One piece is unlikely to noticeable alter your appearance.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Do you eat cake Mr Pilates Three Times a Week?’

‘When the mood strikes.’ He gestured to the server. ‘Would you like to split a fudge brownie?’

She shifted in her seat. ‘Yeah.’

‘What are you supposed to be doing today?’ Amy asked.

‘Travelling to Arizona,’ Kent said. ‘I can catch up.’

‘What happened to your company?’

He blinked. ‘BKD is doing very well. We’re employed as consultants to the Meyer campaign.’

‘But she fired Dan,’ Amy pointed out.

Kent shrugged. ‘Yes, which is merely one reason we insisted on being employed as consultants. She fired Dan, in breach of contract. He’s been paid in full as per the contract. Frankly, she’s quite fortunate that he didn’t sue for sexual harassment.’

Amy looked at him blankly. After a few seconds a horrified expression spread over her face. ‘No!’

‘I’m afraid so.’

She shuddered. ‘I always thought if she did anyone it would be you.’

Kent’s lips puckered in distaste. ‘Why would you think that?’

‘There was that… antagonism thing when you came back,’ Amy said. ‘She was always talking about how much she hated you. And, and, always talking about your dick or just in a generally gross way. I’m not the only one who thought she wanted you.’

He shifted in his seat. ‘That is one of the least appealing things I’ve heard in a very long time.’

Amy gulped her coffee. ‘What even is your type… Like Sue?’

He placed his order with the server. ‘I’ve always found the idea of a “type” to be unnecessarily reductive.’

Amy leaned back. ‘That’s what men say when their type is something incredibly gross.’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Such as… Sue?’

‘Oh gimmie a break,’ she sneered. ‘You know what I mean. Although, you gotta admit there’s a big age difference between you and Sue.’

Kent leaned back in his seat. ‘Nothing unusual in Washington and I assure you that Sue was no blushing ingenue to be taken advantage of by me.’

Amy gulped her coffee. ‘Yeah, she’d fucking chew you up and spit you out.’

‘She did,’ he said. He smiled slightly. ‘Perhaps that’s my type.’

‘I guess that’s why Selina didn’t tickle your fancy,’ Amy said wryly. ‘She makes this huge big thing like she’s large and in charge with men, but she lets them ride roughshod. Andrew? Christ? Tom? It’s a litany of manipulative assholes out for everything they can get.’

Kent accepted the chocolate brownie from the server. ‘Entirely unlike Dan.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘That was a low blow.’

‘Apologies. I certainly have my share of experience with a relationship I knew to be unhealthy but which I pursued nonetheless.’

‘Hardly any kind of relationship,’ Amy grumbled. ‘You haven’t cut that in half properly.’

He gave her the larger half. 

‘Besides, he’s not nearly as manipulative as he thinks he is,’ Amy said. ‘He thinks he’s this Machiavellian genius and he’s not. He’s just a man-child who needs to grow up.’

‘They rarely do,’ Kent said. ‘Certainly, if they’re going to do so it’s usually by their mid-thirties at the latest.’

She shook her head. ‘Such a male privilege. You don’t get women pulling that shit.’

‘Would you want to?’ Kent asked. ‘I rather imagine you would find it difficult to master such a casual altitude to responsibility.’

She shuddered. ‘The idea makes my skin itch.’

Kent took a bite of brownie and groaned as his cell rang. ‘Please excuse me. I need to take this.’

Amy waved him away as he went outside. She still had a knot of anxiety in her stomach. It should’ve been easy. The decision had already been made once and it was a sensible, practical decision.

Kent came back, looking thoughtful. ‘That was my sister.’

‘Lucky you.’

‘She’s an obstetrician,’ he said mildly. ‘I asked her about your situation, anonymously of course.’

Amy took a big bite of brownie.’ Nobody believes anyone is really asking for a friend, you know.’

He pursed his lips. ‘I am quite confident that she doesn’t imagine that I am pregnant after a failed abortion.’

Amy pulled a face. ‘What did she say?’

‘That the risk of abnormalities is marginally raised but overall the risk is very low.’

‘Oh,’ Amy said.

‘Are you relieved or indifferent?’ he said.

‘There are other possibilities,’ she grumbled.

‘None of any merit,’ he said.

She finished her drink. ‘Relieved,’ she admitted. ‘What kind of monster would be indifferent?’

‘A person who innately wanted an abortion might be indifferent since it would change nothing,’ he said mildly. He clasped his hands together. ‘While in general I do not approve of basing decisions on emotional responses, let alone life-altering decisions, this is not a decision with a logical answer. You are, to the best of my knowledge, physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially capable of raising a child. The only question of merit is, do you want to?’


	2. Chapter 2

God fucking damn it! She didn’t do this. She wasn’t that kind of woman.

‘Did I make an error?’ Kent asked anxiously.

Amy shook her head and stood aside to let him into the house. The news that she was still pregnant had been greeted with bafflement or distaste from her former and current colleagues with, it must be said, the notable exceptions of Marjorie, who sent a mountain of books and DVDs, and Richard, who suggested a play date once the baby was born.

Kent was the only person to actually suggest visiting, and now he was here...

‘I’m told these are the best for supporting women during pregnancy. As a general rule, supplements can do more harm than good, however in pregnancy additional nutritional requirements should be respected.’

‘Oh... Thanks, ‘Amy said.

‘This is a subscription service for a high-quality meal box. Not an ingredient or recipe box,’ he said firmly. ‘I’m aware of the hours you work and the sort of thing you eat. These are ready prepared, nutritionally balanced meals. They arrive weekly. You merely heat them up.’

‘It’s hormones,’ she insisted as life punched her right in the tit once again. Weeping was infuriating enough, weeping in front of Kent was galling, and he wasn’t the worst of it by a long way.

‘I’m going to make coffee,’ Sue announced. ‘I can’t deal with this.’

Kent guided Amy to a seat. ‘How would you like me to respond?’

‘How...?’

He spread his hands out. ‘My instinct suggests that you would not wish either physical or verbal comforting. However, I could be incorrect in this and you might welcome it.’

Amy’s lip curled up. ‘Do I look like some kind of touchy-feely… _Catherine_ to you?’

‘People can be more than they appear,’ he said. ‘Hence my question: how would you like me to respond?’

She rubbed her eye. ‘Your sister is an obstetrician?’

‘Of some note,’ Kent said.

‘This is the sister who was having trouble getting pregnant?’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Actually, no, that was Vient, she’s a clarinettist. Melissant is the obstetrician.’

Amy poked his shoulder. ‘What’s with the look, am I not supposed to know that your sister had trouble with her tubes? You announced it at my dinner party.’ 

Kent shrugged. ‘I’m merely surprised that you remember something so completely unconnected with work.’

Sue returned with the coffee. She was frowning. ‘Why do you have no cookies?’

Amy looked at Kent. ‘Is she serious?’

‘Most of the time,’ he said.

‘I can remember you telling me off for stress eating,’ Amy complained.

‘And now I am telling you that attempting to live on fresh air and lettuce is equally unhealthy.’ Sue sat down on the couch. ‘Particularly when attempting to bring a child to term.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘You make it sound like birthing a calf.’

‘Calving,’ Kent said helpfully.

They both gave him much the same look.

‘What does your obstetrician say regarding your diet?’ Sue asked. ‘Eating for two is also a myth. Pregnant women only require a small increase of calories to thrive, but the nutritional content of those calories is vitally important.’

Amy squirmed in her seat. ‘I have an appointment this afternoon.’

Sue nodded. ‘Who is going with you?’

‘Nobody I didn’t… What is going on?’ Amy demanded. ‘Why are you even here, Sue?’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘I’m here because Kent is concerned that may not be receiving the support that you need.’

‘Wow,’ Amy said.

Kent shrugged apologetically. ‘I have to go on the campaign, so my availability is going to be limited.’

Amy took a deep breath. ‘You know that you’re not under any kind of obligation to be here, right? You don’t owe me _anything_, either of you?’

Sue blinked. If Amy didn’t know that the other woman was as emotionless as the sphinx, she’d have said she looked hurt.

‘We’re your friends, Amy,’ she said firmly. ‘We are here for you. That’s what friends do.’

‘Since when?’ Amy asked.

***

Sue was bored. That had to be it. Nobody could be as genuinely committed to helping someone else sort out their life without being horrendously bored. Or Gary.

After a round of medical tests and surely unnecessary purchases for things that didn’t so much threaten misery to come as hint at it, garbage grabbers, adult diapers, rubber sheets, mountains on indigestion and nausea medication, they finally got lunch.

Amy sought some conversational topic beyond babies, which she was now thoroughly sick of the concept, and politics. Not out of any agreement to politely disagree, but because Sue was bafflingly uninterested. She was a bizarre mirror image of Gary in that. He was ignorant by unintelligence and Sue was, whisper the word, ignorant by uninterest.

‘So, uh, you’re on the market again?’ Amy tried. ‘Got tired of your husband?’

Sue snorted. ‘I’m divorced if that’s what you mean. I’m tired of men. They’re always so needy emotionally. It’s exhausting.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Maybe you should pull a Catherine.’

Sue crossed her legs. ‘Please, I was dating women before Catherine was born.’

Amy swallowed her mouthful of water. ‘You were?’

Sue pursed her lips. ‘There’s no need to be so surprised. It was never a secret. It’s not my issue if you fail to pay attention.’

‘Okay, kind of aggressive,’ Amy said.

‘I get a little testy when people erase my sexuality,’ Sue said. ‘People assume that because I must be heterosexual. Or they assume that if I’m dating a woman then I must be gay. Sexual identity is a modern construct.’

Amy shifted in her seat. ‘Well, people go with what they know.’

‘But statistically most people are bisexual to one degree or another.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re looking at me very oddly.’

‘I was thinking that you sound like Kent,’ Amy admitted. ‘He loves talking statistics.’

‘Oh,’ Sue said, relaxing slightly.

‘To one degree or another?’ Amy asked. ‘How can you be a _bit_ bisexual?’

‘It’s a spectrum,’ Sue said. ‘From purely gay to purely straight. Have you ever had a girl crush? Kissed a woman? Fantasised it? Thought about it? All of those count on the scale.’

Amy sipped her mint tea. Naturally no caffeine. 100% tasted of hot, wet chewing gum. ‘Everyone’s _thought_ about it.’

‘Studies agree with you,’ Sue said. ‘So, the fact that bisexual people are commonly portrayed as either drunk college students experimenting, gay men on a journey to admit their “true” sexuality, or depraved villains is galling.’

Amy leaned back. ‘Okay, you outright annoyed is freaking me the fuck out. It’s like being… sexy.’

‘I contain multitudes,’ Sue said smugly. ‘And Kent is _extremely_ sexy.’

Amy gave the other woman a doubtful look. ‘Like what, talking dirty prime numbers?’

Sue gave it some thought. ‘In his motorcycle leathers, tying me to the bedposts, then brushing his fingers over my naked skin as he goes down on me.’

Amy stared into space. ‘Huh.’

‘I never had any complaints about him sexually,’ Sue said.

Amy tried not to imagine. ‘He doesn’t come over as being into sex and stuff.’

Sue raised her eyebrows. ‘Sex and stuff? I can see why he says the same about you.’

Amy felt the flush rising on her skin. God fucking damn it. ‘He thinks I’m sexless?’

‘It’s hardly an image that you do anything to correct,’ Sue said.

‘I’m _pregnant._’

‘To Dan,’ Sue said distastefully. ‘After you got drunk. It’s hardly the erotic sensation of the century.’

Amy folded her arms. ‘Do _you_ think I’m sexless?’

Sue gave her a long thoughtful look. ‘I think that you are desperately repressed and that, combined with a tendency to choose men who are sometimes narcissistic but are always weak, means you have almost certainly never enjoyed sex.’

Amy waved her hand. ‘Overrated.’

‘Not if you do it right.’

Amy ate a bite of her salad. ‘I suppose you do it right.’

‘I’m an excellent lover,’ Sue said seriously. ‘With men or women.’

‘I’m tempted to make a pass at you just to see you freak out,’ Amy said.

Sue smiled. ‘You’re welcome to try.’

***

It was the anti-vaxers who forced her hand. As stupid as Jonah was, as deranged as Beth was, it was their core demographic of anti-science, pro-plague, braindead morons which made her quit.

Not out of disgust or anger. She was _way_ past either of those. Nah, she quit because she couldn’t risk one of the germy, glue-eating, fuckwits giving the baby something.

‘Vaccines are much more dangerous than diseases!’ Beth protested.

‘They’re not,’ Amy said. ‘I _cannot_ emphasise enough how much that isn’t true.’ 

‘But –’

‘No. No buts.’ Amy pushed back her hair. ‘Real talk, Beth, do not have a kid with Jonah. It would end up with two heads or no fucking eyes or fuck knows what. But do get Clay vaccinated for everything possible. That poor little asshole has a hard enough life without catching measles, chickenpox, or smallpox.’

***

Kent met her outside the hotel. For weeks the two campaigns had been criss-crossing the country and now they were in the same city, at the same hotel.

‘You look very well,’ Kent said, escorting her down to the car.

‘I look like I swallowed a beach ball,’ she grumbled.

‘You appear to be barely showing,’ he said. ‘As I would expect given how early in your pregnancy you are.’

It was the kind of thing people said, “you’re glowing,” “you’re blooming,” blah, blah, blah. She knew the code. Glowing meant that you were sweaty, and blooming meant that you were fat. “You look well,” was what they said when they couldn’t think of anything else.

But she thought, just for a second, that he checked her out. She really hoped that he didn’t have a _thing_ for pregnant women.

‘You’ve changed your look again,’ he noted. ‘It’s very attractive.’

She settled in the car beside him. ‘Sue took me to this designer with a new maternity line.’

‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Yes, I can see echoes of Sue’s style.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Figures you’d like that.’

Kent shrugged. ‘While femininity is of course part of a wide spectrum of gender identity with room for everyone, I would be lying if I said I didn’t find a particular manifestation of femininity to be most attractive.’

She looked across at him. ‘It is?’

‘Certainly,’ he said. ‘Or what we define as gender. It’s a particularly human concern. Animals don’t worry themselves about what it means to be a stag or a doe. They simply _are_.’ 

There was clearly something on his mind. Well, Kent always had about ninety-three things on his mind, but something was actually bothering him. She wondered if Sue had said something to him. Just how close were they? She wasn’t ashamed of fooling around a little with the other woman, but she also didn’t much like the idea of Sue and Kent sniggering about it together.

‘What?’ Amy asked. ‘Just say it.’

He tapped his thumbs on the steering wheel.

‘I’m aware that Dan’s behaviour to you regarding your pregnancy has been appalling,’ he said. ‘He will be out on campaign for the majority of your pregnancy, however there will be some occasions when you will be forced to spend time together. I hope that won’t cause you too much distress.’

Amy looked across at him. ‘You’re worried that being around Dan is going to upset me?’

He licked his lips. ‘After Sue and I parted ways, the fact that we worked closely together caused me… some pain.’

‘Oh.’ She shifted in her seat. ‘You didn’t say anything.’

He sighed. ‘My behaviour within the office had already been unprofessional. I had no desire to exacerbate that. Although it might have been amusing to making Ben horribly uncomfortable by telling him about it.’

‘Other people’s “emotional problems” makes everyone horribly uncomfortable,’ Amy said. ‘Nobody likes emotions. Let’s just pretend they don’t happen.’

Kent chuckled. ‘Are you planning to raise a Vulcan?’

‘Do they have emotions?’

‘They’re trained to suppress them in favour of pure logic.’

She nodded. ‘Sounds good. Let’s do that.’

He shot her a smile. ‘It will be interesting to watch you explain to a small baby that crying is illogical.’

She scowled at him. ‘Bah.’

‘Nonetheless,’ he said carefully. ‘If you find it difficult, I hope that you will come to me. I’m sure that there are things that we can do to ameliorate any discomfort you may have with Dan.’

‘Have you had this conversation with Dan?’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Have I asked Dan if your proximity in the office will make him uncomfortable? No. Firstly, because he’s Dan, and I don’t believe that he’s capable of embarrassment. Secondly, because in these circumstances I have little or no sympathy for his feelings.’

Amy chewed her lower lip. ‘I didn’t ask him for anything.’

‘You shouldn’t have to ask,’ Kent said firmly. ‘And let us not forget, this is by no means an isolated incident.’

Amy winced. ‘Is this going to cause tension between the three of you?’

‘No more than already existed,’ he said. ‘We are very different people. Nonetheless we are quite capable of working in concert. Please don’t be concerned.’

Amy stretched out. ‘Does Selina know I’m joining your team?’

He nodded. ‘She is somewhat ambivalent. However, since you will be based in D.C. you should have no interaction with her.’

‘You’re not going to regret this,’ Amy said.

Kent nodded. ‘I know.’


	3. Chapter 3

They stopped for lunch on the way to the airport. Kent ate way too much fish. Nobody needed it every other day. He probably smelled like a dolphin when he came.

‘Penny for your thoughts,’ Kent said.

‘I was wondering what dolphins smell like.’

He cocked his head. ‘What a fascinatingly esoteric question.’

‘I’m full of them,’ she said wryly. ‘So, you were going to brief me on my first client.’

Kent nodded. ‘Obviously political clients per se are currently off the table.’

Amy’s heart sank. ‘Obviously.’

‘Too much potential for conflict of interest,’ he said with a shrug. ‘However, Craig Jergensen of Clovis has retained our services.’

Amy sipped her water. ‘What for? They have hordes of lawyers.’

Kent’s eyes shone. ‘The charming Mr Jergensen’s... zesty approach to monetising his social networking software site is about to cause enormous consternation when the facts are revealed in a Buzzfeed investigation.’

Amy began to grin. ‘Sounds like a complete cluster fuck.’

‘Utterly calamitous to their stock price,’ Kent said. ‘They desperately need someone to guide them through these choppy waters.’

‘This is gonna be fun,’ she said.

‘I thought you would relish the challenge,’ Kent said. ‘Our staff is small, but Sue has indicated that she will provide whatever support she can.’

‘Oh. Great.’

He cocked his head. ‘Is that a problem?’

‘No,’ Amy said, focussing on her food. ‘She can be a little more, oh, intense than I anticipated.’

‘She’s a deeply passionate woman,’ he said. ‘In all respects.’

‘You ever think about dating her again?’

He sighed as he shook his head. ‘She never dates people she’s already rejected. She is very firm on the rule. I’m undecided on whether the pros outweigh the cons.’

‘It would’ve stopped me getting pregnant,’ Amy said. ‘Do you think she counts drunk one-night stands as dating?’

‘I would imagine it counts for the purposes of the rule,’ he said dryly. ‘I find it difficult to simply wrench away lingering attraction or affection. Despite it often being the best option, it remains contrary to my nature.’

‘Weren’t you dating like half of D.C.?’ Amy asked.

‘I dated three different ladies over the course of a year,’ he protested.

‘What, no guys?’

His face twisted. ‘Good Lord, no. The pool of available men is, as you know, extremely small and most of those are narcissistic back-stabbers who would do anything to rise up the ladder.’

‘So they’re all Dan?’ she asked wryly.

His lips twitched. ‘Your words.’

Amy crossed her legs. ‘Would you... No, I can’t ask that. You’re practically my boss.’

‘I hope that we’re still friends,’ he said. ‘Although if you’re going to ask me if I’d date Dan then I might have to reconsider it.’

She snorted. ‘There was definitely a time when he’d have gone for it.’

Kent shuddered. ‘He strikes me as someone with no little true sexuality. Dating, sex, and one day marriage purely engaged in to promote some agenda.’

Amy shrugged. ‘Isn’t marriage just a social construct anyway?’

‘Certainly, but the same could be said for wearing clothes or driving on the right side of the street. I trust you’re not in favour of naked people crashing their cars into oncoming traffic.’

She sniggered as she checked her cell. ‘What’s that saying about sexuality being constructed or something shit?’ 

It was something she shouldn’t have said. She knew that the second his expression changed.

‘I dated a woman who used to say that sexuality was a modern construct,’ he said.

Amy folded her arms. ‘Is there something wrong with that?’

He shrugged. ‘It was a line she used to use on women she was trying to pick up.’

Amy blinked. ‘Okay. Not touching any of the many questions that raises.’

Kent sipped his water. ‘Understood.’

‘Didn’t it bother you that she was picking up other women?’

‘Well, things were going badly by that juncture,’ he admitted. ‘She was making a point, but it was clearly something she’d done before.’

‘Jesus, you think you know someone.’

‘People are complex,’ he suggested. ‘Constantly evolving and responding to all manner of stimuli both internal and external.’ He shrugged. ‘Much of the time we’re responding to an image of a person, propelled by our own traumas and biases, nudged emotionally by simple but potent mood adjusters such as food, music, and hormones.’

‘Is that _your_ pick-up line? ‘Amy asked. ‘Oh wait, I forgot. You think I’m sexless.’

His eyes widened. ‘I don’t recall saying any such thing!’

‘Tell that to Sue.’

He frowned. ‘I may have said that you seemed uncomfortable and ill-at-ease in your body,’ he said. ‘That typically doesn’t lend an air of sensuality.’

‘That doesn’t make me feel better,’ she grumbled.

‘I’m curious to know what answer would make you feel better,’ he said mildly. ‘A sexual harassment lawsuit arising from my saying otherwise would hardly seem to make either of us happy.’

Amy pulled a face. ‘I’ve had hands up my skirt and down my top. You saying that I’m sexy would be weird as fuck but I wouldn’t feel harassed.’

‘Why would it be weird?’ he asked. ‘Particularly since it’s what you were apparently fishing for.’

‘Like I would fish for that,’ she said.

‘That’s not quite up to your usual level of sassy banter.’

‘I’m out of practice,’ she said. ‘Blame fucking society. A male college thinking you’re sexy is dubious maybe but being sexy as a kind of... abstract is something that marks a woman as successful. Even when you don’t want attention, being thought unworthy of attention means you’re a failure. Men don’t have that problem.’

He chewed his lower lip. ‘Men my age don’t. Alas younger men are increasingly feeling pressured to have bodies that match some arbitrary vision of beauty.’

‘Shame nobody is being pressured to work on their personality,’ Amy sneered.

‘I take it that you aren’t a reader of self-help books,’ Kent said dryly.

She almost choked. ‘The day I read a self-help book is the day you can take me out behind the fucking barn and shoot me, because I am clearly suffering early onset dementia.’

He was smirking slightly. ‘You clearly being someone who doesn’t need any help.’

‘Not that kind,’ she retorted. ‘Tell me how to get a million dollars while crushing my enemies and I’ll think about it.’

‘Hmm, the Art of the Sales War, perhaps?’ he suggested.

‘That’s the Chinese guy, right? _The Art of War_? What did Machiavelli write?’

‘_The Prince_,’ Kent said. ‘Although modern scholars largely agree that it was a satire and by no means intended to be taken seriously as an instruction manual.’

‘Fucking satire,’ Amy said. ‘Always too damn clever for its own good.’

‘Whenever there is power there is the urge to puncture it with humour,’ Kent said.

‘Do you miss it?’ Amy asked. ‘Working for presidents. The power.’

‘That sounds so... evil,’ he said.

‘I think you’d suit being evil,’ she suggested. ‘Swaggering around with your... beard.’

‘I don’t swagger,’ he protested, laughing. ‘And what’s wrong with my beard?’

Amy waved her hand. ‘You never walk without swaggering.’

‘I dispute that.’

‘How?’ Amy asked. ‘You don’t watch yourself walking.’

He pulled a face. ‘And you do watch me?’

‘Not like that. I don’t watch you. I see you. I see you walking and there is a definite swagger.’

He pursed his tips. ‘Must be all the power,’ he said tartly. ‘Or perhaps my evil beard.’

‘I didn’t make the rules,’ Amy said.

‘Oh, it’s a rule is it?’

She ticked off her fingers. ‘Ming the Merciless, Fu Manchu. Oh, mirror universe Spock...’

‘Three examples? Is that all you’ve got?’ he asked.

‘Heroes are clean-shaven,’ she said.

‘Why are two of your examples classic science-fiction?’ he asked.

Amy flicked his hand with her finger. ‘Don’t you try to nerd shame me.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it,’ he said mildly. ‘I’m only surprised you know those references.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Because I’m a woman?’

He spread out his hands. ‘There have been lots of discussions at work about TV or movies and you’ve never joined in that I can recall.’

‘Pfft, all you assholes talk about is modern shit,’ she said. ‘I used to watch proper old school stuff with my granddad.’

Kent smiled. ‘That’s nice.’

She shrugged. ‘It’s no big deal.’

‘I never met my grandparents,’ Kent said.

‘What, none of them?’ Amy asked. ‘Did your parents meet in an orphanage or what?’

He scratched his temple. ‘I don’t actually know where they met. My mother was estranged from her parents and my father’s parents had died in a train crash.’

Amy winced. She touched her stomach unthinkingly. ‘That blows. I’ve had my disagreements with my parents but the idea of cutting them out of my life is just... wow. And even if you’re pissed at your folks, who keeps grandparents and grandkids apart?’

He shrugged. ‘Some people should be kept away from children.’

She snorted. ‘Some children should be kept away from people.’

‘A refreshing perspective from a mother-to-be,’ he observed.

‘Hey, I’ll love my kid. Everyone else’s are on their own,’ she said. ‘That’s like saying if I have a boyfriend then I have to like everyone else’s boyfriends. That’s not gonna happen. Most of you are total dicks.’

'In my defence, I’m not currently a boyfriend,’ he said mildly.

‘Some defence,’ she said.

***

She’d initially resisted the idea of him coming with her to BKD. But as he said, he was going anyway and this way he could introduce her officially to Craig as the account manager.

On the plane, Kent let her have the aisle seat and settled in the middle seat with his eyes closed and headphones on. Ten minutes in and she was ninety percent sure that he was asleep. Jesus. He was like a cat.

Amy read a book about foetal development. She’d spent fucking months hesitating, wavering about what she wanted and what she was going to do. That wasn’t her. She decided what she wanted, and she went for it. None of this vacillating or uncertainly. She’d wasted months waiting for Dan. God! That was humiliating just to acknowledge. Well, no more.

She wasn’t going to hang around waiting for men ever again.

***

She asked him back to her place for a drink. It took him a second, but she saw him get it. Saw his surprise and gratification. Well, good. He should be gratified. She was a catch: she was ambitious, attractive, and desirable. She deserved someone who appreciated that. Not some entitled asshole who snapped his fingers, demanded her body, and had no damn gratitude.

She dropped her bag in the living room, her shoes on the stairs, her purse in the hallway, and her panties in the bedroom.

He sat on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. That was a first. He cupped her face and kissed her deeply, like a fucking romance novel or some shit.

‘This is a fuck,’ she said, moving his hands down to her breasts. ‘We are not making love. No rose petals. No perfume. No fucking bubble baths. We clear?’

‘Crystal, he promised.

Maybe that was what he wanted. Wasn’t that what all men wanted? The flash of disappointment wasn’t something she expected.

She heard the rustle as he took a condom from his pocket. He threw off his jacket and shirt. He had a nicer chest than a guy his age had any right to have. Chest hair was salt and pepper. Good amount.

He was peeling off her bra. His mouth was on her throat, tongue flicking at the little pit. Amy stroked her hand down his chest, over his belly, and unbuttoned his flies.

He stood up, taking her weight easily with one arm, and pushed down his pants and briefs with his free hand.

A little shimmy and then he stepped out of them.

‘Smooth,’ Amy noted.

‘Practice.’ He sat down, then lay, pulling her on top.

‘You don’t wannabe all manly?’

He tugged down her shirt. ‘I’ll be whatever you want, but you on top is safer for the baby.’

She stretched up. She could feel his cock against her leg. ‘The more you know,’ she murmured.

He chuckled, a soft, deep sound. She felt him shift as he put on the rubber.

Then he was rubbing and stroking her hips, her thighs, and into her groin.

‘You’ve got me naked and you wanna finger me?’ she asked. ‘What are you, fifteen?’

‘I never met anyone so resistant to foreplay.’

Amy closed her eyes. His fingers were stroking her clitoral hood, now fast, now slow, now delicate, and now firm. She could feel liquid warmth pooling as the heat rose in her body.

‘Foreplay is for pussies,’ she mumbled.

‘Yours appears to be enjoying it.’

She nudged forward. ‘I can feel your cock. You ready?’

‘I can wait until you are,’ he said, but he sounded strained.

‘That’d be a first.’ She grabbed his hands and dragged them up to her breasts. Then she leaned forward, hands on the bed, taking the weight on her palms as she lowered herself onto his cock.

He was thumbing her nipples. The pads of his thumbs were very slightly calloused, just the tiniest rasp against her delicate skin. 

‘Is this what you like?’ he asked, his voice low and heavy.

‘A bit more,’ she muttered. ‘Harder.’

She bit her lower lip as he cupped her breasts, thumbs roughly circling her areolas, and then thrust into her.

Amy’s hands fisted in the sheets. Her breath was catching in her throat. Heat was flushing across her skin.

Kent’s hands slid to her waist. Fingers caressing. His mouth kissing her breasts. Tongue across her nipples. Mouth gently biting.

Amy threw back her head as she came.

***

Amy had no fucking time for navel-gazing, introspective, touchy-feely. bullshit. She was too busy and she wasn’t complicated enough for any handwringing, soul-searching blah, blah, blah.

Sue used the line about sexuality being a spectrum as a pick-up line. Okay, that was a first for Amy. She wasn’t gonna think it. She wasn’t gonna worry and pick at it like it was a big deal. It was the twenty-first century for fuck’s sake.

Sue went to make coffee. Amy sat up in bed and looked around Sue’s bedroom. It was fucking huge. Sue’s whole place was about three times the size of Amy’s.

‘Did you get this place in the divorce?’ Amy asked, as Sue handed her a coffee.

‘No, it’s mine,’ she said.

‘How much fucking money was Montez paying you?’

Sue settled back against the headboard. ‘My worth. You should consider it.’

‘Too late. I already signed the contract with BKD,’ Amy admitted. ‘At least they offer healthcare.’

‘You didn’t have it before?’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘From Jonah? You think he believes in health care? He thinks vaccines cause atheism.’

‘You mean autism,’ Sue said.

‘Anti vaxxers mean autism,’ Amy sneered. ‘Jonah doesn’t know the fucking difference.’

Sue touched Amy’s forearm with her fingertips, just firm enough not to tickle. It was a light, almost automatic touch. ‘I assumed he was merely playing to his base. I didn’t think he was that stupid.’

‘He gets dumber by the day,’ Amy said.

Sue sipped her coffee. ‘Have you arranged child-support with Dan?’

‘Ugh, no,’ Amy said. ‘I haven’t spoken to him since the whole, “oops, still pregnant.” He made it very clear he wants nothing to do with the kid.’

‘Visitation is an entirely separate issue,’ Sue said. ‘His actions, failing to use a condom, have consequences: pregnancy. Why should you alone bear the financial cost?’

‘I’m gonna the only one bearing the physical cost,’ Amy said. She licked her lips. ‘I don’t... I’m not you. I don’t date a lot, but I still want... someday I want to settle down with someone. Doing that with a kid is going to be hard enough without Dan being tied to us.’

‘Then you should have him renounce his parental rights,’ Sue said. ‘Cut ties completely.’

Amy thought about it. ‘Can I do that?’

‘Certainly,’ Sue said. ‘It will always make things easier should you marry, and your spouse wishes to adopt your child.’

‘Nobody is going to be queuing up to do that,’ Amy said.

‘Men are so socialised not to talk about wanting children,’ Sue said. ‘Even biological ones.’

‘Fucking weirdos,’ Amy grumbled. ‘Your ex didn’t want them?’

‘Sean? He was… indifferent. If I had said I wanted children, then he would have agreed. But that is not a situation I would accept. A child should not purely be the province of their mother while a father is right there.’ Sue finished her coffee. ‘I think Kent is the only man I dated who specifically mentioned desiring children.’

Amy snorted. ‘He’s left it kind of late.’

‘I believe there was some medical issue,’ Sue said vaguely. ‘A miscarriage perhaps.’ She shrugged. ‘I was concentrating more on getting him into bed.’

Amy rolled onto her side. ‘What, was that difficult?’

‘More than you,’ Sue said tartly. ‘He’s rather old fashioned in certain respects.’

His loss,’ Amy said. ‘Did you say something about a double-ended vibrating strap-on?’

‘I did,’ Sue said. ‘Would you like to try it?’

Amy nodded. ‘I think I would.’


	4. Chapter 4

Sophie dropped her poutine right in her glass of wine. ‘You’re doing _what_?’

‘I’m working for –’

‘Not that part!’ Sophie squawked. ‘The bit where you’re having Dan’s baby but screwing a woman.’

‘This isn’t Dan’s baby, this is my baby,’ Amy retorted. ‘If Dan wants a baby then he can get fucking pregnant.’

Sophie narrowed her eyes. ‘Are you doing this on purpose? Since when are you lezzing it up?’

‘Lezzing it up?’ Amy echoed. ‘What are you, an incel?

‘I suppose she’s probably handy,’ Sophie said. ‘Maybe she can finally put up those shelves for you.’

Amy starred at her. ‘Are you deliberately saying homophobic shit to bust my balls?’

Sophie grinned at her. ‘Is it working?’

‘Only because you’re my sister,’ Amy said. ‘You’ve ruined that wine.’

‘And my poutine,’ Sophie said mournfully.

‘Priorities, Soph.’

Her sister pulled a face. ‘You can’t even drink.’

‘Don’t I know it.’

Sophie flagged down a server for a fresh glass of wine. ‘What’s it like?’

Amy leaned back. ‘You’ve been pregnant. You didn’t drink. Although it might explain some things.’

‘Hey!’ Sophie kicked Amy under the table. ‘Take that back!’

‘I said you _didn’t_,’ Amy said.

Sophie leaned forward. ‘I meant what’s it like being with a woman?’

‘How the fuck do I know? I’ve only slept with one. I don’t know what’s Sue stuff and what’s general woman stuff.’

Sophie looked thoughtful. ‘You need to sleep with more women.’

‘Sleeping with more people is your answer to everything,’ Amy complained.

‘It’s, you know, scientific,’ Sophie argued. ‘More data.’

‘Quit watching Bill Nye, it’s making you weird,’ Amy said.

Sophie waved her hand. ‘You’re not the only one with brains.’ She sipped her fresh wine. ‘If you’re sleeping with women now then why not sleep with more of them? It’s not like you’re gonna get pregnant and you can’t catch anything.’

Amy shook her head. ‘I don’t think that’s true. The infections thing, not the pregnancy thing. Pretty sure STDs are still a thing.’

Sophie spread out her hand. ‘How? With what?’

‘With like... skin, and bodily fluids,’ Amy said. ‘And double-ended strap-ons.’

Sophie cocked her head. ‘Those are a thing?’

‘Yeah. They vibrate.’

Sophie gave it some thought. ‘So are you... Do you pitch or catch?’

‘Both and none of your business,’ Amy said.

‘You should pick one of those.’

‘None of your business.’

Sophie sighed. ‘I get that the sex is probably better and that it must be nice not to have football on while some guy and his buddies sit drinking beer in the living room, but don’t you miss things?’

‘Like what?’ Amy asked. ‘Body hair? Blindness to dishes? Total failure to understand basic female anatomy?’

Sophie looked wistful. ‘Being picked up and carried to bed is nice. I like someone who can protect me.’

Amy pulled a face. ‘So, you want a caveman? What am I saying? I’ve met your baby daddies. You completely want a caveman.’

‘Amy, you are a tiny woman. Surely you want someone strong.’

‘Honestly, Sue could probably pick me up if she wanted to,’ Amy admitted. ‘Although…’ She licked her lips. ‘I had a one-night thing with a guy from work –’

‘_Another_ person from work?’

‘Shut up, and he was surprisingly strong,’ Amy said. ‘If I didn’t know him it might’ve been a little alarming.’

‘How many people are even in that tiny rinky-dink consultancy?’ Sophie asked.

Amy waved her hand. ‘Not even relevant.’

‘Just saying, you’re going to end with a reputation.’

‘I have a reputation,’ Amy said. ‘It’s not that.’

Sophie gave her a pitying look. ‘Is it for being uptight and neurotic?’

Amy folded her arms. ‘Why do I spend time with you?’

‘Because I’m your sister and the person who knows you best in the world,’ Sophie said.

‘Jesus,’ Amy said. ‘I really hope that’s not true.’

***

Kent was due in the office at ten and everyone was rushing around cleaning and tidying up. It was _weird_ seeing co-workers so panicked about Kent’s opinion. Ben barely turned up once a month and that was fine with pretty much everyone. Nobody seemed to give a single crap about Dan. That shouldn’t have made her snicker, but it did. It was especially weird seeing Sue actually make a particular effort to impress Kent when he came in.

They’d spoken about him more or less in passing. More as their shared colleague than as Sue’s ex and not at all as Amy’s one-nighter. Well, okay, sure, she hadn’t _actually_ told Sue about that. It wasn’t a big deal. It’s not like it meant anything. Sue had a laundry list of people that she’d dated and then dumped after sex had not met her rigorous standards. She had a very… robust approach to dating. Not that any of them were Amy’s exes. At least, not as far as Amy knew. It’s not like Amy had a lot of exes. Life was generally way too busy to be dating some guy. She’d drop dead in shock if it came out that Sue had spent a night with like… Dan.

Nuts. Yeah. Okay. She should have told Sue, if only because it was painfully obvious that she still had a bunch of baggage about Kent. Which was a really great reason _not_ to say anything to Sue about it. Things with Sue were going… okay? Nobody was screaming or throwing things out a window. Amy’s judgement of relationships was pretty binary. Things were going okay until they were completely imploded. Anything else was too granular for her to deal with. 

‘You’re not gonna start baking cookies, are you?’ Amy asked, when Sue put on a pot of vanilla coffee. 

‘No,’ Sue said. ‘That’s realtors and houses.’

‘Same difference,’ Amy grumbled.

Sue scowled at her. ‘I am not about to apologise for respecting one of my employers.’ She straightened her sleeves. ‘Kent has admirably high standards. If President Meyer had similarly high standards her short tenures as both vice president and president would doubtless have been more successful.’

Amy snorted. ‘If Selina had standards as high as Kent, she’d have had like six people working in the entire West Wing.’

‘But they would’ve been the right six people,’ Kent said from the doorway.

Sue took a step back and her hand came up in an automatic gesture to neaten her already immaculate bun.

‘Good morning, Mr Davison,’ Sue said.

‘Good morning, Miss Wilson-Levison,’ he said. He turned to Amy. ‘When she’s startled or _extremely _irritated, she defaults to addressing me as Mr Davison.’

‘Or bored,’ Sue said. She looked at Amy. ‘Frequently it’s bored.’

‘With you it can be so difficult to tell the difference,’ he said breezily.

‘I have your briefing ready,’ she said, obviously stuck for a clever answer.

‘Fine, fine,’ he said. ‘Amy, how are you finding things?’ He smiled at her. Not the smirk. Not the polite, professional, blink-and-miss-it smile, he sometimes threw at Selina. This was a proper warm, affectionate smile.

‘Uh, fine,’ she mumbled.

He leaned forward to touch the back of her hand. ‘Perhaps we can have lunch and catch up properly.’

She’d said it was just a fuck, right? Wasn’t one-night stand implied in that? Oh, Christ.

‘Sure,’ she said.

He turned to Sue who, Amy noticed, now had her shoulders tensed.

‘Can I grab a coffee and then you can brief me’?’ he asked.

Sue managed a nod. ‘Of course, sir.’

He blinked. ‘Bad as that, huh?’

Sue took a deep breath. ‘You have a lot of messages to go through. I’ll bring the coffee through.’

Kent pursed his lips. ‘Okay. Thanks.’

He gave a little shake of his head as he headed into his office.

‘That was weird, huh.’ Amy said, as Sue made coffee. ‘Didn’t figure him for an office touchy-feely.’

‘He’s not,’ Sue said flatly, and opened his door with her hip.

Well, shit. Shit. Shit.

***

Amy took her project files with her to lunch. It was a working lunch with her boss and it was going to professional. They were going to discuss work. Nothing about that or any kind of personal stuff whatsoever.

‘I seem to have upset Sue,’ Kent said, holding Amy’s chair out for her. ‘I’m used to a certain surface level of antagonism from her, but this seems to be different.’

‘All that effort wasted on some guy she dated for a few weeks several years ago,’ Amy said.

‘I rather thought you minded to vendettas,’ Kent said. ‘Towards Mike for example, and President Meyer.’

‘They both deserved it,’ Amy said, hiding in her menu.

‘In any event, I used to think that Sue’s antagonism indicated lingering feelings,’ he said a little wistfully. ‘The passage of time, however, has suggested that she simply dislikes me on a personal level.’

Amy winced. ‘I think she has that kind of antagonism for all her exes.’

He actually perked up. ‘Do you think so? That would be preferable, although I’m well aware that I’m a somewhat… divisive person.’

‘People like you,’ Amy said guiltily. ‘As a person. As a friend.’

‘Some,’ he said.

Amy shifted in her seat. ‘Lots of guys would rather be disliked personally than as part of a group.’

He chuckled. ‘How does logic possibly work?’

Amy shrugged. ‘Me man. Ugg. Me ego fragile.’

He shrugged. ‘Well, both personally and professionally, I am happier if she has no particular problem with me. Sue is exceptionally good at her job and we would struggle to replace her.’

Amy gave her order to the server before replying. ‘It’s probably nothing big. You want me to talk to her about whatever is bugging her? You know, girl to girl,’ she added.

His expression suggested he was attempting to visualise something completely impossible, like sky-diving tigers.

‘I’m not sure that would be the best tack,’ he said with uncharacteristic tact. ‘Also, I don’t wish to cause a potential rift in your friendship with Sue. I know she has long valued it.’

Amy opened and closed her mouth. ‘Oh.’

‘It’s a difficulty when work and personal relations become entwined,’ he said.

‘Right!’ Amy said, jumping on this. ‘Maybe it’s better for everyone to keep them separate.’

‘Uh... oh,’ he said, and his shoulders dropped in disappointment. ‘Oh, I see.’

‘It’s just-’

‘The wisest course…’

They both stopped and looked at each other.

Kent sighed and clasped his hands together. ‘How are you settling in?’ he asked.

‘Great,’ Amy said. ‘I do have some questions and thoughts about the Clovis account.’

***

‘How long have you been sleeping with Kent?’ Sue demanded.

‘Jesus, keep your fucking voice down!’ Amy hissed, skittering over to close her office door.

‘Why? Are you sleeping with another staff member and don’t want them to find out?’ Sue asked, crossing her arms. ‘Because _I_ know. He doesn’t randomly flirt, Amy. He certainly doesn’t touch women unless he has an existing relationship with them.’

Amy pushed her hair back. ‘Okay, so, we fucked once, before I got here. Like literally after we got off the plane, I asked him back. It was before you and I were properly a thing. It didn’t mean anything, and he knows now it won’t be repeated.’

‘You shouldn’t have done that’ Sue said coldly.

Amy edged closer. ‘I should've told you.’

‘You should’ve told me,’ Sue agreed. ‘You shouldn’t have slept with him.’

‘It was before we were a thing,’ Amy protested. ‘Neither of us are virgins, Sue. Come on, it’s no big deal.’

Sue pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘It’s a big deal to Kent.’

Amy felt herself go cold. ‘Did he say something to you?’

‘Of course not.’ She shook her head. ‘He is still grieving Julie. He very much wants someone special with whom to spend his life.’

‘Who’s Julie?’ Amy asked.

Sue stared at her. ‘His _partner_. She died a few months ago.’

‘Shit.’ Amy licked her lips. ‘Like an accident?’

‘Someone spiked her drink at a bar. She had a reaction,’ Sue said. ‘That’s not the point. How can you have so little awareness, so little interest, in the life of one of your friends?’

Amy threw up her arms. ‘Hello! Kinda busy with Selina’s campaign and being pregnant!’

‘It wasn’t a secret,’ Sue snapped. ‘His alibi was a campaign meeting! People were talking about in the West Wing, Amy, how could you be so utterly self-absorbed?’

Amy blinked. ‘I just... I had a lot on my mind.’

Sue shook her head, yanked open the door, and stamped out.

***

‘Wow,’ Sophie said.

Amy, cell cradled between ear and shoulder, put a microwave meal in to cook. ‘It’s completely fucking ridiculous.’

‘What do you expect?’ Sophie asked. ‘You’re gay now! You’re supposed to be fuzzy, and lefty, and “woke,” and all that stuff. Eat granola. Be vegan.’

Amy pressed her palm to her eyes. ‘You can stop trying to annoy me, Soph, it’s totally redundant. Also, there have been gay serial killers. Where are you getting this insane stereotype of granola eating, lefty, lesbians?’

‘The media,’ Sophia said. ‘Were they men? I bet they were men.’

‘Who?’

‘The serial killers,’ Sophie said.

‘I don’t know,’ Amy said distractedly. ‘There was a woman who killed men who had a girlfriend. I think Charlize Theron played her in the movie.’

‘That cool,’ Sophie said.

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘And I’m not gay. I still find men attractive.’

‘Just not Kent Davison?’

Amy frowned as the microwave pinged. ‘I didn’t say that. He’s actually very handsome.’

‘But he’s like a hundred years old?’ Sophie asked.

‘He’s sixty-four,’ Amy retorted. ‘He’s in great shape and does all the diet and exercise shit.’

Sophie groaned. ‘Then why’d you turn him down?’

‘Because I’m dating Sue.’ Amy stopped. It was the first time she’d said it out loud without any kind of qualifier or euphemism. ‘I’m dating Sue.’

‘I heard you the first time,’ Sophie sniffed. ‘So what? You like ‘em both. What’s the point of being bi and only dating one sex?’

‘That’s totally not how it works,’ Amy snapped. "There’s a huge difference between being bisexual and being poly.’

‘This is so you,’ Sophie complained. ‘You’re literally coming up with excuses not to make the most of the situation.’

‘By getting dumped?’

‘Wake up, Ames,’ Sophie said. ‘You said he’s still carrying a torch for her and she’s obviously still got a thing for him.’

Amy hesitated. ‘That’s not true,’ she said uncertainly.

‘She had a fight with you because you hurt his feelings!’ Sophie said

‘That wasn’t exactly-’

‘Amy, you’re one of the most self-absorbed people I know,’ Sophie said. ‘This cannot be news to Sue.’

Amy took a bite of food. ‘I don’t think that’s fair.’

Sophie sniggers. ‘We’ve been on the phone for half an hour, Ames, and you haven’t even asked how I am. Don’t pretend we don’t both know who you are.’

***

‘That seems harsh,’ Sue murmured.

‘Maybe not,’ Amy admitted.

They were lay in bed. Amy was rubbing Sue’s back. It should have been deathly dull but it was actually rather relaxing.

‘Why did she say that?’ Sue asked.

Amy ran the conversation through her mind. ‘I was telling her about our argument and you saying I should be been more considerate of Kent’s feelings.’

Sue sighed. ‘Kent is a... complicated subject.’

‘He’s gonna take it hard when he finds out that we’re together,’ Amy said.

Sue rolled over to face the other woman. ‘Because we’re two women or because you imagine he’s so desperately in love with you?’

‘Nah, ‘Amy said. ‘He probably thinks homophobia is illogical or some shit.’

‘I’ve heard him say that thousands of species display same-sex behaviour,’ he said. ‘But only one displays homophobia.’

Amy propped herself up. ‘The more you know.’ She touched Sue’s wrist. ‘If he’s still desperately in love with someone then it’s not with me.’

Sue was quiet for a moment. ‘He’s not going to make an unwanted approach,’ she said. ‘It’s not his nature to press his attentions where they aren’t welcome.’

Amy shrugged. ‘You sure they’d be unwelcome?’

Sue bristled. ‘I do not cheat.’

‘Neither do I,’ Amy replied. ‘I’m just saying, you were real worried about me hurting him.’

‘I’m with _you_, Amy. Kent and I didn’t work. We tried. He had far more to give than I could take, and he needed far more than I could give.’

Amy thought about it. ‘Like, emotionally?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good,’ Amy said. ‘Because his dick...’

‘His dick was first rate,’ Sue said.


	5. Chapter 5

‘At least she’s not Dan,’ Amy’s dad said heavily. 

‘Joe!’ her mom hissed. She plastered a wavering smile on her face. ‘It’s so nice to meet you… Susan.’

‘Sue,’ Amy corrected her.

She flushed. ‘Sue, I’m so sorry.’

Sue smiled graciously. ‘Good evening,’ she said, and put her hand in the small of Amy’s back.

It was doubtlessly possessive. If it had been Dan, then Amy would have snapped his hand off at the wrist. But if it had been Dan then it would have been less about claiming her and more about manipulating both her parents and the situation. Sue’s level of manipulation began and ended with pretending to cry to Selina when she was being furloughed. This was a possessive move, especially in front of her parents, but at the moment, Amy was fine with it.

Amy had dated men for months without ever introducing them to her parents. The whole bullshit about dating with all the blah blah landmarks of meeting parents, moving in together, and all that stuff generally left her cold. Had she even introduced Buddy to her parents? He’d definitely never met Sophie. That was a horrible thought. Who the hell knew what Sophie would’ve come out with?

Her mom was trying way too hard. She’d filled the living room with a hideous array of family photographs and polished the glass so highly that shards of light attacked the eyes.

‘Something smells good,’ Sue observed.

‘It’s my mac and cheese,’ Joe said. ‘Amy said you girls eat dairy.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Why do people keep asking if I’ve become a vegan or something?’

‘Perhaps because your skin is looking so much better of late,’ Sue suggested.

Sophie, slumped on the couch, snorted. ‘That’s hormones.’

Amy’s mom shook her head. ‘Oh, no, hormones make all that worse. When I was having you, I had –’

Joe put his hands on his hips. ‘Natalie, not the time.’

‘I’m sure that Sue doesn’t mind,’ Natalie protested.

‘I mind,’ Amy said. She waved a hand at Sophie. ‘Sue, that’s my sister. No idea where her kids are.’

‘School trip,’ Sophie said. ‘Hi Sue.’

‘Try not to sleep with this one,’ Joe said.

Natalie slapped his arm. ‘Joe!’

‘What? She did with Dan.’

Sophie levered herself off the couch to shake Sue’s hand. ‘I was drunk, okay?’

‘Both times,’ Amy added.

‘He is very charming,’ Natalie said wistfully.

Sue’s expression mirrored Joe’s. ‘I would rather drink bleach,’ she said.

‘I’ve got some Scotch,’ Joe said. ‘It’s not bleach, but it’s pretty good.’

Sue nodded. ‘Thank you.’

‘You never offered me Scotch,’ Sophie complained.

‘You’re always either pregnant or breast-feeding,’ Joe said.

Amy sniggered. Sophie shot her a look.

‘Uh, _you_ can’t have either,’ she pointed out.

‘I don’t want any,’ Amy retorted. ‘I hate Scotch.’

‘I hate Dan,’ Joe said. ‘You girls seem determined to involve him in our family.’

Amy set her shoulders. ‘Well, he’s got nothing to do with me or the baby.’

‘Apart from being responsible for its existence,’ Joe said.

‘It might be more appropriate to think of him as being a donor,’ Sue suggested. ‘With the caveat that donors are generally at least somewhat minded to help the recipient.’

Natalie sighed. ‘But one day he might change his mind?’ she suggested.

‘Not if he knows what’s good for him,’ Sue said darkly.

***

Sue was twitchy. Anyone else would’ve been fussing, but Sue Did Not Fuss. What she did instead it seemed was get more and more tense and curt.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Amy said, watching the other woman shoving clothes into her suitcase.

‘I’m aware that you’re extremely capable,’ Sue said.

‘You need to be with your mom.’ Amy knew, as soon as she said it, that it was a mistake. It had taken pretty much everything Sue had to admit that there was even a problem with her mother.

Sue’s hands balled up. ‘It’s hardly that,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘It’s merely a politeness to respond to her call. Doubtless she is overreacting.’

The woman who had raised Sue to treat any kind of vulnerability as anathema was overreacting when she said she was dying. Sure. That tracked. Not.

Amy thought about touching her arm. It didn’t look like it would be welcome. Neither of them were “huggers.” What were you supposed to do in this situation? What were you supposed to say?

‘Do you… do you want me to come with you?’ Amy said uncertainly.

‘Do you want to come?’ Sue asked intently.

‘Uh, I don’t… if it’s what you want?’ Amy offered.

Sue looked away. ‘That’s not necessary. It’s not practical.’

‘If you’re sure,’ Amy said, relieved and guilty for it.

Sue squared her shoulders. ‘It’s best not. You should be taking it easy at this stage in your pregnancy.’

‘Right,’ Amy said. ‘Right.’

***

It was the headache that woke her. Amy had never been a headache person. Her dad’s side of the family had heart problems and high blood pressure. Her mom’s side had bad skin and alcoholism. Nobody had headaches, let alone blinding ones that felt like a jackhammer to the side of the head.

She crawled out of bed and into the bathroom. She grabbed a couple of painkillers with hands that felt like she was wearing gloves under her skin and swallowed the pills dry. Then she registered her face in the mirror. She looked like she’d swallowed a hot air balloon.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Sue was still in Texas with her mom. Sophie was in New York on a corporate training thing. Dan… ha. As if.

Feeling like a drama queen, she called an ambulance.

It took fifteen minutes. By which time she was delirious.

***

Amy fucking _hated _hospitals. HATED them. Why the fuck was she in a hospital? She propped herself up on her elbows. Kent was sat a few feet away in a guest chair.

‘Hey! Wake up! Hey!’

He jolted awake. ‘Shush,’ he mumbled.

‘Don’t tell me to shush!’

He rubbed his head. ‘It’s three in the morning,’ he said, pouring a glass of water. ‘You’re going to wake everyone else up.’ He gave her the glass.

Amy grabbed the glass and drained it. The she looked around the room. Her free hand came to her belly.

‘Did I lose the baby?’ she asked quietly.

‘No,’ he said quickly. ‘No, the baby is fine so far, but we nearly lost both of you. They’re doing tests, but they’re pretty sure that you have preeclampsia.’

‘Shit!’ Amy squealed.

‘There’s no need to –’

‘I saw that episode of ER!’ she snapped. ‘That woman walked in fine and she walked out dead.’

He tilted his head. ‘She was a zombie?’

‘You’re making jokes?’ she asked. ‘Is that helpful at the moment?’

‘I’m making humorous comments,’ he corrected. ‘And yes, actually, since you have dangerously high blood pressure. Laughing is much healthier for you than stress.’

Amy sat back against the pillow. ‘Fuck.’

He spread his hands. ‘You scared the hell out of us, Amy.’

She looked away. ‘How come you’re here?’

‘Sue asked me,’ he said. ‘She can’t get a flight back until tomorrow.’

Amy was shaking her head. ‘Tell her not to come back.’

‘You nearly _died_,’ he said gently.

‘And her mom is going to die,’ Amy snapped. ‘Jesus, I’m not being responsible for her missing being with her mom at the end!’

Kent sat back. ‘She’s dying?’

‘Yeah, they’ve withdrawn everything but pain relief,’ Amy said. ‘She can’t last more than a few days.’

He closed his eyes for a moment. ‘Sue didn’t say. Good Lord. Poor Sue.’

‘She said that she’d be okay,’ Amy mumbled. ‘She didn’t ask me to go.’

Kent looked at her. His expression made her feel about a foot tall.

‘Naturally she didn’t,’ he said. ‘She’s Sue Wilson. She doesn’t ask. You have to read between the lines to support her the ways that she needs.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘I’m totally not in the fucking mood for a lecture, Kent.’

He held up his hands. ‘Apologies.’

Amy shrugged. ‘I’m not good at that stuff,’ she admitted.

‘Sue is worse,’ he said dryly.

‘She knew to ask you to come,’ Amy said. ‘How long have you been here?’

He checked his watch. ‘Five hours.’

‘Jesus, why?’

Kent shrugged. ‘I’m extremely… fond of you, and of Sue. Evidently she’s in love with you so –’

Amy knew that she was flushing. ‘She said that?’

‘Of course not,’ he said, his tone gently teasing. ‘She’d rather cut off her leg. But I heard her on the phone. Her feelings were very clear.’

Amy looked down at her lap. ‘You must think I’m nuts. We’ve only been dating a few months.’

He smiled sadly as he stood up. ‘I’m in no position to rebuke anyone else for falling in love quickly.’

‘Do you have to go right now?’ Amy asked, surprised by her own plaintive tone.

‘I should let someone know that you’re awake,’ he said. ‘And let Sue know that you’re okay.’

Something made her catch his hand as he turned away. ‘I didn’t mean to… mess you around. I hope you don’t feel I gave you the wrong impression.’

He squeezed her hand. ‘You didn’t. If I hoped for more then that was on me. When you’re feeling yourself, you’ll probably wonder what you were ever worried about.’

‘Probably,’ she agreed.

***

Amy and Sue were in hell, from opposite and intimately connected reasons.

‘She’s a dreadful patient,’ Sue said.

‘She’s a fucking awful nurse,’ Amy said.

Kent laughed. ‘What did you both expect?’ He sipped the mint tea that Sue had given him. ‘You do have the actual nurse that the insurance is paying for?’

‘The nurse does not work at 4 a.m. when Amy is demanding a bedpan,’ Sue said.

‘Don’t drink water within two hours of sleeping,’ Kent suggested.

‘Yeah,’ Amy said. ‘That’s not the problem.’

He nodded. ‘Ah. No eating either then?’

Amy nodded.

Kent put her hand over Sue’s. ‘How are you doing? It must be stressful, especially given that you’re still grieving.’

‘Lying right here,’ Amy grumbled.

‘Everyone is sympathetic to you,’ Sue said. ‘Let me have this.’

Amy’s mouth snapped shut. She mimed locking it up and throwing away the key.

‘Let’s walk in the garden,’ Sue suggested to Kent.

‘Sounds good.’

He leaned over to kiss Amy. Perhaps it was meant to be her cheek. She moved her head slightly and he caught part of her cheek and the corner of her mouth. It felt so different to when Sue kissed her. Sue was more passionate, but he was gentler, and more respectful. Was that what had attracted Sue to him? Was it what attracted Amy?

As she watched Kent and Sue walk to the bedroom door, she saw them bump against each other. They were easy, natural movements caused purely by their proximity and their relaxed comfort in being close together.

He’d come to the house to go through work with her. The influencers that they’d mobilised to cloud the looming privacy scandal were working well. In the face of revelations that Clovis was selling personal data, Amy’s strategy had been to convince as many people as possible to cheerfully _give_ their private information away. They pushed quizzes that collected data about interests, purchases, locations, and political views. They advertised apps with photo filters which convinced users to hand over their photos, videos, and other media files. Drip by drip they normalised and naturalised giving up every scrap of privacy. Clovis hadn’t seemed to notice yet that collecting data given freely would inevitably reduce the amount that other companies would pay for it. But that was a problem for another time.

She wasn’t supposed to do anything stressful but like she’d said; hanging around bored out of her skull was way more stressful than work.

She was pretty sure that Sue was getting pissed off. Sure, they’d discussed Amy moving in, but that was a natural progression of their relationship, not because Amy couldn’t be left alone. It was way too much to dump on someone less than six months into a relationship. Being so restricted in her movements didn’t help.

It turned out that someone sitting on your face got old when there wasn’t much else you could do.

Something had to be done. Amy was no stranger to making swift, purposeful decisions, even ones that could potentially be… difficult.

Even so, she expected a _bit_ more of a response.

‘What?’ Sue asked flatly. A muscle twitched beneath her eye. Even from someone as outwardly stoic as Sue it was suspiciously dispassionate.

Amy sighed. ‘I’m saying that you have sexual needs that I can’t properly fill right now and, you know, we’re both grown-ups. We know that sex doesn’t have to be some big emotional thing. I can totally fuck without it being “emotional” or “meaningful” and, sure, neither of us would cheat, because that would be disrespectful.’

Sue pursed her lips. ‘This wouldn’t be cheating?’

‘How could it be if I’ve agreed?’

‘You’re not concerned that I might develop feelings for Kent?’ Sue asked. ‘I would be.’

Amy shot her a look. ‘We’re not gonna pretend that you’ve not already got feelings for him, are we? I’ve got eyes, Sue.’

Sue looked her in the eye. ‘As do I,’ she said. ‘I’m not blind to your feelings for him.’

‘Wow,’ Amy said, blinking.

‘You flirt with him,’ Sue said, more gently than Amy thought possible.

‘That’s not why I’m suggesting it!’ Amy blew out her cheeks. ‘I… I like being with you. I like _us_. But I can see what this situation is doing to you, Sue, and I don’t like it. You deserve to have someone look after _you_ for a few hours. Make you feel special. Get you off.’

Sue was quiet for several seconds. ‘Have you discussed this with him?’

‘Fuck no,’ Amy said. ‘You might say no, then he’d be disappointed. Things would be weird and awkward.’

‘He might say no,’ Sue pointed out.

Amy snorted. ‘Seriously? Look at you. You’re beautiful and he’s single. Plus, he’s still crazy about you even after all this time.’

Sue looked pleased despite herself. ‘I suppose he might be persuaded,’ she conceded. ‘If we were going to do this then it would have to be as a couple. We would both have to be involved to one extent or another. Whether it’s me having sex with him, or you having sex with him.’

‘I’m not suggesting it as some kind of plot to fuck Kent!’ Amy protested.

‘I know that,’ Sue promised. ‘Your long-term planning isn’t that good.’

Sue threw a cushion at her.


	6. Chapter 6

It was, she supposed, only fair. After all, it had been her idea. Not that Sue had exactly been putting up a fight. Amy’s argument, that Sue knew him better than she did, had not prevailed. As Sue pointed out, the arrangement was, ostensibly, to _her_ benefit. If she were to suggest it then he would assume, understandably, that it was her idea and that Amy, poor, poor Amy trapped at home and unwilling to rock the boat, was merely going along with it. This impression was not one which would like result in his agreement. 

So here she was, propped up in bed, hair and makeup freshly done, looking as healthy and yes, sexy, as she could under the circumstances. As Sue pointed out, it was still pretty damn sexy.

Kent kissed her cheek as a greeting. She had grown so used to it that she hadn’t even registered that it was odd, until Sue pointed it out. She was still his employee. Officially that was all that she was. Their friendship, like all Amy’s friendships, had been pursued and nurtured almost entirely by him. It wasn’t that she didn’t _want_ friends and it wasn’t that she was some kind of narcissist, okay? It was just… weird and uncomfortable reaching out to people to… do things and go places. They might say no. They might say yes. And then were would she be? Far easier to be the one being asked.

‘You’re looking much better,’ he said. He joggled a paper bag that he was holding. ‘I brought the pastries that you were craving.’

‘I wasn’t _craving_ them,’ she argued, forcing herself not to rip the bag from his grasp. ‘I just wanted them. Cravings are some misogynistic BS invented by men.’

He chuckled. ‘They’re not, you were, and you’re welcome.’

She gave him a small smile. ‘Thanks.’

He returned her smile. ‘What do you want to talk about that isn’t babies or pregnancy?’

‘Is it that obvious?’

He shrugged. ‘I remember my sister complaining bitterly that it was all anyone discussed with her. Around her. About her.’

‘I know the feeling. Can you pour me some of that camomile tea? It’s disgusting but it’s wet and I’m not supposed to drink anything with caffeine.’

He shook his head sadly. ‘The terrible sacrifices that you make.’

She bit into one of the pastries. ‘I know!’ She brushed away crumbs. ‘Did you speak to Sue?’

‘Just now? Yeah, she seemed a little…’ He hesitated. ‘If it were anyone else, I might say that she was anxious. I hope she doesn’t think I’m up here seducing you.’

Amy managed to chuckle. ‘I did have to tell her that we’d spent the night together.’

A look passed across his face that she couldn’t quite parse. Something sad and old.

‘You and she weren’t dating then, were you? I hope you weren’t too embarrassed by your little indiscretion.’

Amy shook her head. ‘Nothing like that. But you’re her ex and she still has feelings for you.’

‘I’m quite sure that isn’t true,’ he said quietly.

‘I’m totally sure that it is,’ she said.

Kent’s shoulders tensed. ‘Are you accusing me of something, because –’

Amy waved her hands. ‘No, no, no. I know you haven’t been fooling around with Sue. Just like I know that you haven’t been fooling around with me.’

He licked his lips and looked away. ‘I’m aware that perhaps the mood between us has been… uncomfortable. I apologise for that. I have no excuse for finding your relationship painful. Certainly, I have no reasonable expectation of a romantic relationship with either of you so to be disappointed and hurt is… ludicrous.’ He tapped his thumbs together. ‘I apologise for any distress that I’ve caused. It was my intention that my feelings not be obvious to either of you. Clearly I failed in that.’

She was shaking her head. ‘I… Shit… I had no idea that you felt like that. I’m sorry, that sounds _miserable_.’

He looked at her blankly. ‘Then what were you talking about?’

‘Sexual tension!’ Amy said. ‘You and Sue. You and me.’

She saw the flush rising slowly up from his collar. It was strangely fascinating watching it progress.

‘I’m very fond of you both,’ he muttered.

‘Ugh,’ Amy groaned. ‘Look, you like us. We like you. This whole situation with me being stuck on bed rest is driving Sue and me both nuts. Plus, you know what Sue’s appetite is like. Frankly right now I can’t give her what she needs. So, here’s the thing, I was thinking you could help me out by helping her out.’

He stared at her in silence for several long seconds. ‘What?’

She threw up her hands. ‘I’m asking you to fuck my girlfriend. God! How difficult is that to understand?’

‘Honestly, it’s quite challenging,’ he said.

***

Amy had never bought sexy underwear before. It felt kind of ridiculous. It wasn’t her. Sue, on the other hand, had extremely expensive, extremely feminine lingerie. It had taken her a considerable amount of cajoling and reassurance to persuade Amy to even try on a silky little nightie. However, even Amy had to admit that a t-shirt and a pair of tube socks wouldn’t really fit the _tone _of the situation.

She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Kent casually dressed before. It was smart casual, but still casual. He was wearing a red silk skirt with a couple of buttons undone and black chinos. When Sue showed him into the bedroom, she was complimenting his hair cut. Amy hadn’t noticed. She tended not to notice that kind of thing. She was just vaguely aware that it looked good.

Sue had on a silver bra and pantie set. It was lacy in the right places and padded in the right places. She looked ready for a catwalk.

‘I didn’t know it was possible to feel simultaneously under and over-dressed,’ he said wryly. ‘You both look amazing.’

‘We should,’ Sue said. ‘It was very hard work.’

‘It wasn’t _that_ hard,’ Amy said.

Sue looked at her. ‘Men impose beauty standards on women and then insist we treat them as nothing. We shouldn’t be complicit.’

‘Or at least only complicit in the first half,’ Kent suggested.

Amy sniggered.

Sue rolled her eyes.

‘Take off your clothes,’ Sue said to Kent. ‘Would you like a drink?’

‘Sounds like Selina on a date,’ Amy said.

Kent shuddered as he took off his shirt. 

‘Like you’d say no to her,’ Amy said.

Sue put a glass of whiskey on the bedside table. ‘Perhaps Marjorie would be more appealing,’ she teased.

‘No comment,’ Kent said, sitting down to remove his socks.

‘Marjorie?’ Amy asked. ‘She’s so... dull. Like dating the Resolute desk.’ She caught a glance between the other two.

Her look was playful. His was warning.

‘What?’ Amy asked.

‘Sue...’

‘Are you worried she’ll tell on us?’ Sue asked.

‘It _cannot_ be as bad as what I’m imagining,’ Amy said.

‘We had sex on the Resolute desk,’ Sue said.

‘Oh,’ Amy said. ‘It was exactly as bad.’

Kent wagged his finger at Sue. ‘That was your idea. I was happy on the rug in her office.’

Amy’s eyes widened. ‘You had sex on the residential seal!’

‘Doggy style,’ Sue said. ‘The desk was better.’

‘I fell off,’ Kent complained. He took off his chinos, folded them neatly, and sat on the bed next to Amy.

‘I didn’t,’ Sue said smugly.

Kent touched Amy’s hand. ‘Shall we talk about how’re going to do this?’

‘It’s mostly you and Sue,’ she said.

‘I get that you say that, but I’m sure that you want to feel involved and an equal partner,’ he suggested.

Sue sat on the other side. ‘I have some thoughts,’ she said.

‘I’m not balancing on a desk,’ Amy said.

***

Amy lay propped on her side, slowly kissing Sue. She was still surprised each time by Sue’s soft, full lips against her own. Surprised by the way that Sue’s breasts filled her cupped hands. She felt Kent’s hands, stroking and caressing Sue’s back, brush against hers. When his fingers slipped between Sue’s legs, sliding in circles, Amy felt the other woman twist against them. Heard her soft grunt of pleasure.

Amy ducked her head to kiss and gently bite the side of Sue’s neck. She caught Kent’s eye, and leaned forward to drop a soft kiss on his lips.

Sue’s breathing was faster and shallower. Amy caught the faint scent of her arousal. Amy entwined their fingers. Sue felt warm and slick against her.

‘Ready?’ Kent murmured.

Sue nodded and buried her face in Amy’s neck. ‘Ready.’

Amy felt her clench and relax as Kent entered her. She remembered that feeling: the length and breadth of him sliding inside.

Kent put his hand over theirs. Amy kissed him slowly, feeling the woman between them softly moaning.

***

‘How long has she snored?’ Kent asked.

‘It’s because she’s on her back,’ Amy said. ‘Thanks for this. She really needed it.’

Kent propped himself up on his elbows. ‘Not entirely a hardship I assure you.’

‘Thanks for not making it weird.’

He ran his fingers through his hair. ‘Is this my cue to leave?’

‘I was hoping you could maybe pass me my vibrator,’ she admitted. ‘Seeing Sue come got me all horny.’

‘That’s sweet.’ He sat up. ‘Where is it?’

‘Fuck sweet,’ she said. ‘Bottom draw.’

Kent rolled off the bed and to his feet then padded over to the drawers. As he leaned down, Amy noticed the muscles in his back. Sue was very toned as well. She had a home gym she used mornings before work. Amy thought it looked like a torture chamber. She couldn’t complain about the results.

‘Amy,’ Kent said. ‘You are going to have to be much, much more specific.’ He shot her an amused look over his shoulder. ‘Are all of these yours?’

‘The ones on the right are Sue’s,’ she said. ‘I want the gold one with the plug.’

He raised his eyebrows as he lifted it. ‘This seems to have somewhat... unrealistic dimensions.’

Sue murmured something and rolled onto her front. They watched for a moment but nothing else appeared forthcoming.

‘It’s clitoral,’ Amy said. ‘Not vaginal.’

‘What?’ he asked. ‘Oh. Oh. I see.’ He walked around the bed to plug it in.

‘I suppose you have some expensive techno-porn you use,’ Amy suggested.

He shrugged. ‘Not personally but doubtless pornography is being designed if it isn’t already available. The difference in how toys for men and toys for women are popularly viewed is quite striking. Men are mocked for using them, but women applauded.’

‘That because blow-up dolls and weird plastic feet with fuck holes are a desperate alternative to an actual relationship but vibrators are just as likely to be a supplement to one.’

Kent nodded. ‘Lonely people deserved to be mocked but people in happy relationships don’t. Got it.’

She was going to make a sneering comment about lonely men, but something in his tone stopped her. Instead she pushed back her hair.

‘You want to help me out?’

‘Why?’ he asked. ‘A pity fuck is normally more fuck and less pity.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘You’re not one of those guys.’

‘But I am,’ he said. ‘It’s very unlikely to change.’ He waggled the vibrator. ‘This was lovely, Amy, but it wasn’t the three of us making love. It was you and Sue making love and I was essentially this toy.’

Amy shook her head. ‘That is complete and total bullshit.’ She turned and shook Sue’s shoulder. ‘Sue, wake up.’

‘Don’t wake her,’ Kent protested.

‘Sue, Kent thinks we had sex with him because we needed a guy as a sex toy,’ Amy said.

Sue opened one eye. ‘I thought we had sex with him because we realised that we’ve both developed romantic and sexual feelings for him.’

Amy poked his shoulder. ‘What she said.’

Kent licked his lips. ‘She’s barely half asleep.’

‘Yeah,’ Amy said. ‘Because she’s Sue. If she was fully awake, she’d never admit it.’

Sue closed her eyes. ‘It’s true,’ she mumbled.

***

‘It’s time to decorate,’ Sue announced.

Amy, her mouth full of cereal, looked at her blankly.

Sue put down her spoon. ‘We need to prepare the nursery for the baby. First time mothers with preeclampsia are at a higher risk of giving birth prematurely.’

Kent, finishing toast and grabbing a coffee to go before flying back to the campaign, was clearly uneasy.

‘What’s the problem?’ Sue asked.

‘I’m not sure that preparing too early is wise,’ he said carefully. ‘In case of… problems.’

‘Um, blood pressure through the roof,’ Amy said. ‘That’s the problem.’

Sue folded her arms. ‘That’s been stabilised as much as is possible although the only cure is the birth. If you’re concerned about Amy losing the baby –’

‘Well…’

Amy put her spoon down.

‘ – that is possible but unlikely,’ Sue concluded.

‘I’m aware that the foetus is now primarily putting on weight rather than developing,’ Kent said. ‘I’m merely concerned about the possibility of exacerbating an already horrendous situation.’

‘By that logic we should never set up the nursery because there is always some possibility of something terrible happening,’ Sue said.

Amy took a sip of water. ‘Okay, Jesus, let's split the difference. Decorate but no soft toys or clothes or that crap.’

‘The wisdom of Solomon,’ Kent said, and kissed her. He brushed crumbs from his hands as he stood up. ‘I can make it back on Thursday, hopefully.’

‘I cannot wait for this campaign to be over,’ Sue said.

Amy and Kent exchanged a look.

‘This is just the primaries,’ Amy said. ‘After this is the actual election.’

‘But she’s not going to win the nomination,’ Sue said. ‘Is she?’

Kent shrugged. ‘It’s going to be extremely close. Particularly with certain… issues in play that I can’t discuss.’

‘Even with me?’ Amy asked.

‘Not even, alas.’

Sue rolled her eyes. ‘Fortunately, I don’t care. I’m merely ready for us to have a more traditional family situation where everyone is at home together.’

‘The fine tradition of mommy, other mommy, and daddy,’ Amy said dryly.

Kent put his hand on the back of his chair and took a deep breath.

‘Other mommy?’ Sue asked, checking the sound of it. ‘I like the concept, but I think the terminology needs some work.’

Amy waved her hand. ‘Just nothing gross like momsy or mee-ma or any of that nonsense.’

Sue raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you think I would?’

‘You contain multitudes,’ Amy said. ‘Is Kent still having a panic attack?’

Sue put her hand on his shoulder. ‘He’s just emotional.’

He patted her hand. ‘Apologies. Sue is quite correct. Merely emotional.’

‘Men,’ Amy said, leaning over to kiss him. ‘This is exactly why you can’t be trusted to run countries.’

‘I promise not to try,’ he said. ‘In my defence this is quite a significant development.’

‘Too much?’ Amy asked.

‘Too fast?’ Sue asked.

Kent shook his head. ‘It is fast, and it is a great deal, but it’s not unwelcome.’

‘Is that Kent for its welcome?’ Amy asked.

‘Yes,’ he said.

Sue crossed her legs. ‘I’ll add coming out and meeting each other’s families to the to-do list.’

‘Coming out?’ Kent asked.

‘As polygamous?’ Amy asked.

‘I believe polyamorous is the preferred term,’ Sue said.

‘Since we’re not married, and you and Amy are not trapped in one-way monogamous relationships with me, that might be best,’ he said dryly.

Sue snorted. ‘I wonder how many men thought that was the case, only to find themselves sorely disappointed.’

‘Not enough, I’m sure,’ Kent and.

‘I told my sister,’ Amy said. ‘By now I’m sure she’ll have told our parents.’

‘Is that why you told her?’ Sue asked. 

‘Absolutely not,’ Amy said.

Kent nudged Sue with his elbow. ‘Does she know that she’s overemphatic when she’s lying?’

Sue nodded. ‘Yes, but she’s finding it difficult to stop.’

‘You’re both assholes,’ Amy said. ‘Screw you for ganging up on me.’

‘Wait until after the baby is born,’ Kent said. ‘Then you’ll see some ganging up.’

‘That was almost vaguely threatening,’ Amy said.

‘I liked it,’ Sue said.

***

Amy made good money, although not as good as Kent or, it turned out, Sue. Whatever. She made enough not to do the petty, menial shit that other people could be paid to do. Like cleaning, cooking, mani-pedis or decorating. In general, Sue tended to agree, although for some reason decorating the nursery was where she drew the line. It was less surprising that Kent agreed. He actually cooked. Hell, he even claimed to enjoy it.

‘You two are nuts,’ Amy said. She was on a lounger in the hallway, watching them stripping wallpaper.

Sue was practically giddy as she hurled the wet paper into the garbage bag, she flashed Amy a smile. ‘It’s very satisfying.’

‘It’s also pleasant to feel that we’re doing our part to welcome the baby,’ Kent said. ‘It feels more real with something concrete.’

‘I’m over here the size of a dump truck,’ Amy protested. ‘I feel very fucking concrete.’

‘Nobody is disputing that,’ Sue said. ‘But it’s different for you. It’s visceral. For us it’s still quite conceptual.’

‘Conceptual! She keeps kicking the shit out of me.’

Kent walked across to her. He took her hand and held it. ‘You’ve had longer to come to terms. Your experience is first-hand, immediate, and vivid. Ours is second-hand, removed, and reported. As much as we wish we could share your experience of pregnancy and childbirth –’

‘I don’t wish that,’ Sue said.

Kent rolled his eyes at her before continuing. ‘_as much as we wish we could share your experience_, the simple fact is that we can’t.’ 

Amy looked at them both. ‘Do you seriously not feel like the baby is real?’

‘It’s becoming more real,’ Sue said.

‘It’s been _months_!’ Amy protested.

Kent smiled slightly. ‘To be fair, for a while it was thought that you were no longer pregnant.’

Sue nodded. ‘Also, it’s terrifying.’

Amy groaned. ‘You two are like fucking children.’


	7. Chapter 7

She’d kicked before. Amy had felt her moving around plenty of times. For some reason though, that night, lay awake, feeling the baby move felt very different. She sat up in bed. It was dark in the room now that Sue had splurged on blackout curtains, although the faint haze of the streetlamps showed around the edges. It was just enough to lend some scant definition to the shadows in the room. She knew that Sue was lay beside her more from the familiar sound of her snoring than from the dark outline. Kent was on the other side of Sue, although his breathing was a light counterpoint, only audible in the spaces of silence between Sue’s snores. When Amy closed her eyes and concentrated, she could smell their individual scents rising from their skin and mingling in the cooler night air. She’d been told that pregnancy made her sense of smell more acute. This probably wasn’t what they meant.

The baby moved inside her. The baby. She. Megan. How quickly things had developed from possibly pregnant, to definitely pregnant, to definitely having a baby girl. She wasn’t sure how she felt about a girl. She wasn’t sure how she would have felt about a boy, come to that. A baby was bought sight unseen in every possible way. Would Megan be tall like Dan or short like Amy? Blonde or brunette? Blue eyes or brown? Would she grow up into a mature, emotionally complete woman, or would she be a Selina-level narcissist? Would she even _like_ Amy? Would Amy like her? Amy knew that Sophie loved her kids, would probably crawl over broken glass for them, but she sure as shit didn’t _like _them very much. Not that Amy blamed her. She didn’t like them very much either.

The mattress shifted as Kent rolled over. ‘Amy?’

‘Shush, you’ll wake up Sue.’

The darkness blurred and wavered as he sat up. ‘Do you need a drink or something to eat?’

‘It’s like 3 a.m.’

‘Last week Sue told me that you were eating a roast beef sandwich at 2 in the morning,’ he said.

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘I’m allowed to be inconsistent. I’m pregnant.’

‘Right.’ He sounded half-asleep. ‘And you’re allowed to be hungry or thirsty. Are you?’

‘Will you do this after I have the baby?’

She heard him snuffle a little.

‘No. Well, when you’re feeding. That seems fair.’

Amy reached out blindly to squeeze his shoulder. ‘I might as well make the most of it, huh?’

He gave a dry chuckle. ‘Okay? Roast beef, grilled cheese, what does your tummy demand?’

Amy rubbed her eyes. ‘A banana would be great.’

‘Is that all?’

‘Yeah. Thanks.’

‘Your wish is my command,’ he said.

Amy listened to the shuffle and thump as he climbed out of bed and the rustle of clothing as he pulled on his robe. The darkness was leavened slightly by the greyness of the hallway beyond as he opened the door and slipped through.

‘You’re gonna be a lucky kid,’ Amy said. ‘Look how nice your daddy is.’

She hadn’t spoken to Dan in… weeks. Longer. She hadn’t felt the need to explain herself to him. She was damn sure that the story was all over D.C. and in any event, it was certainly all over BKD. He could’ve approached her. It’s not like he was capable of guilt or embarrassment. He could’ve asked her what was going on, if she needed anything, or if she _wanted_ anything. He hadn’t. To her surprise, she realised that she was okay with that. More than okay. Relieved. Dan wasn’t fatherhood material. If he ever got married it’d be for money or prestige and if he had kids, he’d definitely screw them up and probably screw them over. Being Dan’s partner would be worse than being on her own. At least if you were on your own then you didn’t have to worry about catching a fucking disease. In both meanings.

‘Amy?’ Sue asked. ‘Where’s Kent?’

‘He’s gone to get me a banana. Did I wake you up?’

Sue sat up and leaned against Amy. ‘Yes. You’re a pain in the ass.’

‘But you love me?’

She wouldn’t have asked if she hadn’t been half asleep.

‘Yes,’ Sue said.

She wouldn’t have answered if she hadn’t been half asleep.

The door was pushed over a fraction as Kent tried not to let in too much light.

‘It’s too late to be this early,’ he said. The bed dipped as he sat down.

‘It’s certainly the wrong time for your paradoxes,’ Sue mumbled. ‘What are you handing me?’

‘A banana for Amy,’ he said.

‘For a moment I thought you were being extremely forward and remarkably prescient,’ Sue muttered.

In the long pause that followed, Amy unpeeled her banana.

‘You secretly wanted a banana?’ he asked.

‘No, I’m tense now, and I need some assistance to return to sleep.’

Amy snorted. ‘Don’t look at me. I’m going back to sleep.’

‘Kent?’ Sue asked.

‘Uh… Is one to one acceptable?’ he asked.

Amy neatly put the banana skin on the bedside table. ‘I hope so or scheduling is going to be a fucking nightmare.’

‘As long and everyone is open and honest, I don’t see a problem,’ Sue said.

Kent audibly caught his breath. ‘Well… I’m happy to be useful,’ he said.

There was the rustle of movement.

‘You don’t _feel_ as happy as usual,’ Sue said severely.

‘Your hand is cold,’ he protested.

Amy sniggered. ‘Just try to keep the noise down. I’m trying to get to sleep.’

‘Says the woman who woke me up,’ Sue said tartly.

‘Me too,’ Kent observed.

***

It was an insanely busy week. While they had focussed their attention and time on reducing the response to privacy violations in the US, nobody at Clovis had thought to tell them that they had _also_ purchased a European social networking site and sold their user data with the same reckless abandon. Now not only were the European press and politicians going nuts about the story, their outrage was gradually percolating into the US.

It was even becoming an issue with the primaries. The “non-political” Chinese wall between Amy’s work with Clovis and the partners’ work with Selina was being torn to shreds.

She was surprised when Dan suddenly turned up. He wasn’t scheduled and, frankly, he looked less like a man returning to his wildly successful business, and more like a man who’d lost everything. He came into her office unbidden and slumped into her guest chair. In the corridor, Sue paused, waiting for a gesture from Amy to… what? Throw one of the partners out of Amy’s office? She wouldn’t have been surprised if Sue had done it. Probably with enthusiasm.

Amy gave a little shake of her head. She didn’t need the drama and, frankly, Dan didn’t deserve that much attention.

Sue made a “call me” gesture and walked away. Or perhaps it was a “I’ll call Kent” gesture. Amy could easily believe either.

‘I feel like it’s been months since we talked,’ Dan said.

‘It _is_,’ Amy pointed out.

He sat back in his chair. ‘God, I have no idea why that is. Hey, can you call a cute assistant for a coffee? I’m dying of thirst.’

Sue pursed her lips and sent a text. ‘Should be here in a minute.’

‘Great,’ Dan said vaguely.

‘What do you _want_, Dan?’

He set his shoulders. ‘What’re you working on? Maybe I can help. Get a partner on board and show some heavy-hitter power on the case.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘I’m the lead on Clovis. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that’s causing enough problems for the Meyer campaign without you crossing the streams.’

He ran his fingers through his hair. Or he tried. He used so much product that he barely ruffled a single lock. ‘I never understood that saying. What streams?’

She gave him a dead-eyed stare. ‘It’s from _Ghostbusters._’

One of Sue’s army of assistants, an intern named Fred, brought in Dan’s coffee and Amy’s mint tea.

‘That is _not_ what I meant,’ Dan said as Fred disappeared.

‘He looked cute to me,’ Amy said.

Dan managed a grin. ‘Don’t be harassing the staff. That’s a perk of partnership.’

She smiled blandly. ‘Then make me a partner.’

He shrugged. ‘Love to but right now my name is _mud_. I’ll be lucky if I’m still a partner by the end of the month.’

‘What did you do, get someone else pregnant?’ she asked.

He flushed. Amy watched his pale skin suffusing with redness with near clinical fascination. He could mimic social skills very well, but it was the mimicry of a robot or alien. Blushing should have been beyond him.

‘I thought if you want me to be involved then you would’ve talked to me about it,’ he said.

She folded her arms. ‘I _did_ talk to you about it. You changed the subject and avoided the issue.’

‘It’s a woman’s right to choose, Ames,’ he said. ‘Not my choice.’

‘That’s not what that means!’

He looked around and shifted in his seat. ‘And let’s be honest, you’ve landed on your feet. You’re shacked up with Sue and you’ve got Kent dangling on a hook. It’s not my idea of fun but damn. That is some A1 finagling.’

Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Whatever works for your conscience, Dan.’

He grinned again, this time with a little more of his old confidence. ‘Conscience? Come on, Ames, you know me better than that.’

Amy took a sip of her mint tea. ‘Why’re you back here anyway?’

‘My services are no longer required by the campaign,’ he said dryly.

‘What did you do?’ Amy asked suspiciously.

‘Nothing I wasn’t asked to do,’ he said. He took in her expression and pulled a moue. ‘The time was that Selina didn’t have a problem fucking the help.’

Amy covered her face with her hand. ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’

‘It’s fine, I’ll just run point from the office.’

Amy snorted. ‘We don’t need you here. Or are you going to tell Sue that she’s not running the office properly?’

Dan shuddered. ‘Ugh. No. Ben and Kent are going to kick my ass to the Capitol and back as it is. I don’t need Sue after me on top of that. You sure you don’t need any help on Clovis?’

‘I absolutely do not need your help,’ she said. ‘You’re supposed to be the sales guy, so go sell yourself. Find some more clients. It’s what you’re good at.’

He set his shoulders. ‘You’re right.’

‘Of course, I’m right.’ She sipped her tea. ‘But if Kent and Ben kick you out, can I buy your shares cheap?’

Dan stood up. ‘Or you’ll take me to court for maintenance?’

Amy licked her lips. ‘Actually, I was going to ask you to surrender your parental rights. I haven’t seen you to mention it.’

‘Absolutely,’ he said instantly. ‘Just give me the paperwork and I’ll sign it.’ He beamed at her. ‘This trip wasn’t a total wash-out after all.’

***

A partners’ meeting called with barely a couple of hours’ notice, had everyone panicking. Dan was trying to pretend that he was casual about the whole thing, but Amy knew him too well for that.

She was sat in her office when Sue sidled in and shut the door. ‘Do you know what’s going on? I was thinking of calling Kent.’

‘He’d have said if he could.’ Amy chewed her knuckled. ‘Dan got himself fired from the campaign.’

Sue pursed her lips. ‘Can she do that? They have a contract.’

‘The contract will be with the company won’t it? Not Dan individually.’ Amy pushed back her hair.

Sue raised her eyebrows. ‘I misunderstood. She’s only fired Dan, not the company.’

‘The company didn’t fuck her.’

Sue rolled her eyes. ‘What possibly possessed him to do something so idiotic?’

‘No fucking idea,’ Amy said. ‘He’s worried that Ben and Kent are going to fire him.’

‘Can they do that?’

Amy shrugged. ‘You know Kent. There’ll be a clause somewhere about bringing the company into disrepute or something.’

‘Then within five years he’ll be the only one left,’ Sue said tartly.

‘Would you be surprised?’

‘I’d be impressed.’

Amy stood up. ‘I asked Dan about surrendering parental rights. He was all for it.’

Sue pulled a face. ‘I’m not surprised. Good. The sooner he’s completely out of the equation the better.’

‘He was barely in the equation even before the abortion farrago,’ Amy said.

Sue moved closer. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Sure,’ Amy said. ‘It’s no big.’

Sue licked her lips. ‘I’m not unfamiliar with the concept of being in love with someone who is undeserving of it.’

Amy shook her head. ‘I’m not in love with Dan.’

‘Maybe not now,’ Sue said. ‘But you were. Perhaps you’d be more comfortable discussing this with Kent. I’m aware that some people don’t consider me very open emotionally.’

‘I don’t need to discuss it,’ Amy promised. ‘Yeah, I’ve spoken about it with Kent. I’m good with it. I can look at Dan now and… I don’t know what I was fucking thinking. It’s like when you wake up from a dream and everything that seemed to make sense when you were asleep in the light of day is complete and total fucking _gibberish._’

‘Or a hug?’ Sue asked. ‘I’ve been meaning to practice.’

Amy looked at her. ‘Practicing hugging?’

Sue looked a little uncomfortable. ‘For the baby,’ she admitted. ‘I’m not entirely comfortable with physical contact but I need to be. It’s extremely important for the baby. Vital.’ She licked her lips. ‘I want to be a good mother.’

Amy smiled. ‘You’ll be great. This kid is going to be the luckiest kid ever.’

***

Amy was chewing on her pen and researching European influencers when Dan tapped on her door.

‘Ames, can you come into the meeting real quick?’ he asked too brightly.

She took a breath as she stood up. Nuts. She’d actually been enjoying the Clovis account. It was like politics without the politicians. No problems with speeches or gaffes. The average person wouldn’t have recognised Craig Jergenson if they fell over him on the street and they wouldn’t care if he was caught cheating. It was freeing to be able to concentrate on straightforward manipulation of the public without all the bullshit in the background.

Kent stood up, when she followed Dan into the meeting room, and pulled a chair out for her. Well if Ben hadn’t known she was fucking him before he sure did now.

The three of them looked at each other. Kent cleared his throat.

‘Amy, as you’re aware, the Clovis privacy issue has grown beyond its initial brief. Your work has been exemplary but their failure to fully appraise us of all the facts means that to some extent you were working with one hand tied behind your back.’

Amy clasped her hands together. ‘And now it’s interfering with the Meyer account.’

‘Indeed,’ Kent said.

‘We’re gonna have to dump Meyer,’ Ben said flatly.

Amy blinked. ‘What?’

Kent spread his hands. ‘Dealing with Clovis is growing exponentially. We can’t realistically expect you to continue to do it all by yourself.’

Amy opened and closed her mouth. ‘But… But dumping Meyer?’

Ben sighed heavily. ‘Wasn’t my choice.’

Kent half turned to him. ‘We agreed. Given the… “issues” circling the Meyer campaign, it’s best for us to cut ties now while we still have the possibility to claim innocence.’

‘Wow, what?’ Amy asked. ‘What have they been doing?’

‘You don’t want to know,’ Kent said.

Dan leaned forward. ‘They didn’t tell me either.’

Amy sat back. ‘Where does that leave me?’

Kent spread his hands. ‘We’d like you to provide an overview of the whole Clovis privacy situation along with a proposal for structuring our dealing with the situation. We would suggest that Dan work alongside you and Ben and I will be available for additional assistance.’

‘We need to drum up more work,’ Ben said. ‘We’re gonna focus more on corporate consulting.’

Amy nodded. ‘It’s so much less frustrating than dealing with politicians.’

Kent touched her hand. ‘Are you comfortable with what we’ve discussed so far? Depending on your proposal we’ll look at reassigning people so that you have the support you need.’

She nodded. ‘Yeah I’m just… I can’t imagine how bad it’ll have to be for you both to walk away from Selina.’ She looked at Dan. ‘You walk away all the time.’

‘Some people need to stop shitting where they live,’ Ben snarled.

Kent cleared his throat. ‘I don’t think this is the most efficient use of our time.’

‘Do you need me to help Dan look for clients?’ Amy said. ‘If we’re going to be struggling without Meyer –’

‘She’ll pay the full contract,’ Ben said darkly. ‘Don’t you worry.’

‘I’m not worried,’ Amy said. ‘But now I’m a little scared.’

***

‘No, seriously, this is terrifying,’ Amy said, looking at Kent.

He rolled his eyes and gently put his arms around Sue. ‘It’s okay,’ he promised, rubbing her back.

‘Shut up,’ she mumbled.

‘I think it looks great,’ Amy protested, looking around at the finally finished nursery. ‘You guys did an awesome job.’

Sue mumbled something against Kent’s shoulder.

‘What did she say?’ Amy asked.

‘That she knows,’ Kent chuckled.

‘Then why is she crying!’

Sue took a step back and dried her face. ‘We’re going to have a baby.’

Amy looked down at her stomach. She could no longer see her feet. ‘Yeah. Pretty soon.’

Sue scowled. ‘I know that. It’s merely… It feels more real.’

‘You’ll be holding her soon enough,’ Kent said quietly.

Amy squeezed Sue’s arm. ‘Waking up at 3 for feedings…’

‘Ugh. You had to ruin it,’ she said.

Kent folded his arms. ‘We have an extremely rare opportunity to schedule for the minimum amount of disruption.’

Amy looked at Sue. ‘Translation?’

‘Three parents means that if we’re sensible we’ll all get a lot more sleep overall,’ Sue said. ‘Assuming that you are planning to continue work.’

‘We haven’t talk about it,’ Kent said mildly.

Amy blinked. ‘I figured I could either take Megan into work or work from home. Is that gonna be an issue?’

Kent shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. Frankly we can’t afford to make it difficult for you to work. Uh, please don’t tell Ben or Dan I said that.’

Sue straightened her sleeves. ‘Mention it at dinner tonight,’ she suggested. ‘Joyce will ensure that Ben agrees.’

Amy shuddered. ‘Is that tonight? Maybe I can skip it. I have so much work and –’

‘If I have to go then you have to go,’ Sue said firmly.

‘If I have to go then you have to go,’ Kent said.

Amy shrugged. ‘Then none of us go?’

Kent shook his head. ‘Joyce would be extremely hurt. That would set Ben on the warpath. It’s not worth it for the sake of a couple of hours of mediocre food and uninspired conversation. Frankly I’d sooner excuse myself from the dinner with Amy’s family.’

‘We _all_ want that,’ Amy said.


	8. Chapter 8

If her obstetrician had any thoughts on the fact that she had two partners, then she kept them to herself. That was a relief. One of the neighbours had made several sneering comments about surrogacy that Amy had felt were totally uncalled for. Okay so she wasn’t actually a surrogate. That didn’t mean she didn’t think the attitude sucked.

‘The baby is a little small,’ Doctor Mulrooney said. ‘That’s to be expected with preeclampsia and given your age. At this point she’s just putting on weight rather than developing further.’

‘There’s no sign of any issues from the drugs?’ Amy asked.

‘Nothing is showing on the scan. We’ll obviously have a better idea when she’s born.’

Kent squeezed her hand. ‘If there’s any kind of problem then we’ll deal with it.’

‘That’s not as reassuring as you think it is,’ she said.

‘There’s no reassuring you,’ he said. ‘When you have your mind set on something then you worry at it like at a dog with a bone. If you don’t have your mind set on something, then you worry at _everything_ until you find something.’

Amy nudged him in the ribs. ‘I’ll worry at you.’

‘Oh, I hope so.’

The truth was that she was getting a little, just a little, nervous. Too many things could go wrong. So far nothing about the entire situation had been normal or expected.

As they left the office, Kent took her hand. ‘It’s a little nerve-wracking isn’t it?’

‘Yeah.’ She chewed her lower lip. ‘Hey, did Sue say something about a miscarriage? That’s why you don’t have any kids already?’

She felt him stiffen.

‘I’m unaware of what Sue may or may not have said regarding the subject.’

Amy looked up at him. ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to touch a nerve.’

He sighed. ‘Do you want to grab lunch? We can talk about if you wish. Sue’s probably going to be some while with the lawyers.’

‘Uh oh,’ she said. ‘Does this mean we have to have a serious conversation?’

He smiled slightly. ‘They have been somewhat fewer of them then might be warranted by the situation.’

They found a little Italian restaurant and sat by the window. It seemed to be desperately fighting off the encroaching gentrification of the area, more or less.

Kent held the seat out for her. It was something that she could get used, but that would be a shame.

‘I don’t know much about your past,’ Amy admitted, playing with her menu.

‘I’m sure it’s nothing terribly original or exciting,’ he said. ‘I was married for a little while. There were several pregnancies. All of them failed. We were ill-suited in many respects, not least of which being biologically.’

Amy was spared having to think of an immediate response by the server bringing their drinks and taking their orders.

‘Jesus,’ she said. ‘How many is several?’

‘Four,’ he said. ‘Annabeth had been raised to believe that a woman’s greatest value and purpose in life was to be a mother. Not being able to do that was… challenging to her sense of self.’

Amy shook her head. ‘I don’t think I could get through four. One, sure. Two, pushing it. Three or more… I’d be drawing a line in the sand.’

Kent was neatly pulling apart a breadstick. ‘I attempted to do so, after the second and the third. At the fourth, I was unwilling to proceed. Annabeth took it very badly. She left me shortly after.’

Amy put her hands over his. ‘Sorry.’

He looked at her. His eyes were red. ‘It’s perfectly reasonable for you to ask. It’s a painful and desperate situation but it’s not uncommon at all.’

‘I had to pretend it happened to me,’ Amy said. ‘To cover for Selina.’

He nodded. ‘It was in the briefing.’

She thought about it. ‘A West Wing briefing? How did they know it was Selina and not me?’

He shrugged. ‘I’m not aware of the fine detail. Given her usual remarkably lax grasp of personal information, she was probably randomly announcing it to everyone who crossed her path.’

Amy put her chin in her palm. ‘They’re all like that. Jonah announced to a rally that I’d recently had an abortion.’

Kent’s eyes widened. ‘Dear Lord.’

‘I got fucking death threats for like… a week.’

‘More than normal?’

She shrugged. ‘About the same. But specifically mentioning the abortion. A lot of the usual ones were, you know, blah, blah, you’re a woman in the public eye and I hate you.’

He nodded. ‘Do you still receive them?’

She shook her head. ‘I assumed that Jessica was filtering the postal ones out at work.’

‘Possibly,’ Kent said. ‘Dan receives a lot.’

‘And that’s just from his exes,’ Amy snarked. She sat back as the server brought their food. ‘When were the miscarriages?’

‘Years ago,’ he said dismissively. ‘Between 1997 and 2000.’

‘Huh,’ she said. ‘So, in another reality you could have a bunch of teenage kids running around.’

He gave her a pained look. ‘What a horrifying thought.’

She shuddered theatrically. ‘You’re definitely not still married or anything?’

‘Definitely not,’ he promised. ‘The divorce was finalised in 2002. Annabeth has remarried several times.’

‘I thought you said she was religious.’

He chuckled. ‘That you think there aren’t ways around that is adorable.’

Amy stuck her tongue out at him.

***

Dinner with the boss. Jesus. What a soul-crushing 50s bad sitcom trope. Although technically she had dinner with _a_ boss every night he was in town. Which, come to think of it, was going to be a lot more often when they shunted the Meyer Campaign.

Dinner with all the bosses, then. Not that Dan ever felt like her boss. He didn’t feel like anyone’s boss.

They took an Uber so that Kent and Sue could drink. Amy could just about drive, but she had no great desire to do it, least of all if the other two were paralytic. Sue, anyway. Given half a chance, Amy thought she’d try drinking Ben under the table.

Ben and Joyce were celebrating their anniversary, which meant a house full of family as well as friends. Kent was a little nervous about that. He didn’t care about others' opinion about their living arrangements, but he was worried that Sue might take any disapproval badly. Amy’s disagreements with Sue had been largely of the sniping comments variety and she assumed that she was all bark and no bite when she resorted to intimidation.

Kent was very emphatic that her bite was considerable. He was concerned, not that her feelings would be hurt, but that there might be a _scene._

Sue was not worried.

They arrived at the same time as Dan. Amy was mildly surprised that he didn’t arrive with some woman on his arm. Either passing fun who was out of her depth but physically attractive, or a leg up who he thought could be leveraged into improving his prospects. These days they were usually the latter. He wasn’t twenty-five anymore. His hair was just starting to recede, enough that Amy was sure a transplant was looming in his future, and what had been charming once was now sliding into cheap, poorly calibrated manipulation.

She would be lying if she said it wasn’t satisfying.

Nods, ranging from friendly to polite to brusque were exchanged as they headed to the door.

‘I thought this was an anniversary dinner,’ Dan said. ‘It sounds like a frat party.’

Kent set his shoulders. ‘Joyce more than matches Ben when it comes to raucous entertainment,’ he said.

‘I knew I should’ve bailed,’ Amy muttered.

The door was thrown open and Joyce beamed at them all. ‘You came! I was starting to worry.’

‘Ben said –’ Kent began.

Joyce waved her hands. ‘Oh, pish, nobody worries about what Ben says. Come in. Come in. Hang your coats up. Kent, Dan, come with me and get drinks for your ladies.’

‘This is going to be a blast,’ Dan said, smirking at Amy.

‘Shut up.’

As Joyce whisked Dan and Kent away, Ben ambled over.

‘What time is Amy going to fake labour and break this hell on earth up?’ Ben asked.

Sue checked her watch.

‘I’m not doing that,’ Amy said.

‘Joyce is a nurse,’ Sue said. ‘She would certainly know that you were lying.’

‘She is?’

‘She’s a cardiac nurse,’ Ben protested. ‘As long as you don’t fake a heart attack, you’ll be fine.’

‘I’m not doing that either,’ Amy said.

‘Maybe she’ll throw us out when she realises that you’re not here with Dan,’ Sue said.

‘You could make out in the middle of the living room,’ Ben suggested. ‘Make sure you go big though. Lots of tongue. Gotta make sure that nobody thinks that you’re faking it.’

Sue narrowed her eyes. ‘Is this the senior partner of the company that I work for asking me to kiss my girlfriend in public for his edification?’

‘Last time I try to help you,’ he grumbled.

Kent and Joyce returned. Kent was carrying a tray of drinks.

‘Martini for Ms Wilson and a virgin Pina Colada for Ms Brookheimer,’ he said gallantly.

‘I left them at the bar and when I came back, Dan had gone somewhere,’ Joyce said, shaking her head. ‘It’s fortunate that Kent is here to take care of you, Amy.’

She snorted. ‘I would never wait for Dan to take care of me. I’d die of thirst.’

Joyce looked sympathetic. ‘Ben isn’t good at that either.’

‘Standing right here,’ Ben said.

‘And I don’t have a drink,’ Joyce said.

Amy took a breath. ‘Joyce, Dan and I aren’t together.’

Joyce waved her hand. ‘No, he’s talking to my niece about her YouTube channel.’

Amy opened and closed her mouth. 

‘Don’t let him start a BKD YouTube channel,’ Ben said to Kent.

‘Dan is not Amy’s partner,’ Sue said firmly.

Joyce blushed. ‘Oh, but I thought he was your baby’s daddy.’

‘Only biologically,’ Amy said.

‘And legally at the moment,’ Kent murmured.

‘I’m gonna get the paperwork drawn up,’ Amy retorted. ‘I’ve been busy and it’s not like he’s gonna suddenly take it into his head to fight me for custody.’

Joyce threw her arms around Amy. ‘You poor thing! I can’t believe that he would make you have the baby all by yourself!’

‘Jesus,’ Ben groaned. ‘You’re embarrassing the girl.’

‘Why haven’t you told her?’ Kent demanded.

‘Great question,’ Amy asked, squirming free. ‘Joyce, I’m fine. Dan had his chance and he blew it. I’m not going through anything alone; I have Kent and Sue. But if I was doing it alone, it would be _fine_. Thousands of women raise children by themselves and they do it with love, drive, and ambition.’

Joyce gave her a pitying smile. ‘It’s so kind of Kent and Sue to look after you but you’re still young and pretty, at least enough to find a nice man who won’t mind that you have a baby.’

‘A _nice_ man would be thrilled to raise Amy’s daughter with her,’ Kent said sharply. ‘A _nice_ man would consider a baby a significant positive in the relationship. Not a downside.’

‘It’s sweet you think that way,’ Joyce said.

Amy put her face in her hands. ‘Someone help me out here.’

Ben groaned. ‘Joyce, Amy isn’t single. She’s dating Kent and Sue.’

‘What?’ Joyce asked.

‘We’re a thruple,’ Sue said. ‘I dislike the term but it’s accurate and there aren’t many alternatives.’

Joyce shot Kent an unpleasant look. ‘Oh, so you have a harem now. This poor vulnerable girl –’

Amy kissed Sue. Sue was less surprised then she might have been. Perhaps she knew Amy well enough to see it coming.

‘This isn’t polygamy,’ Kent said. ‘I don’t have multiple partners while they only have me. I am dating Amy and I am dating Sue. Amy is dating me and she’s dating Sue. Sue is dating me and she’s dating Amy. I hope that clears it up.’

Dan drifted over. ‘I don’t know why Amy and Sue are making out, but I like it.’

Joyce slapped him. ‘You! You get this girl pregnant and you don’t marry her! You don’t support her!’

Ben grabbed Joyce and pulled her back. ‘Amy’s a grown woman! She made her own choices too.’

‘I supported her when she went for the abortion,’ Dan said quietly. ‘I was there. Am I supporting her now? She hasn’t asked me to.’

‘You are incapable of –’ Amy began.

‘Exactly,’ Dan said. ‘Come on. I know you don’t know me very well, Joyce, but I think you know me well enough. I’m not father material. You think I should’ve married Amy? It wouldn’t work. I’d cheat on her. She’d be miserable. The divorce would drag out forever. She’s doing _great_ without me. She’s shacked up with Kent and Sue. I’m sure the sex is phenomenal and –’

‘Outside,’ Kent growled. ‘Now.’

Joyce grabbed at him as he marched towards the door.

‘Kent, don’t do anything… dumb…’ Amy called.

‘I won’t hurt him,’ Dan promised, following him.

Ben snorted. ‘His knuckles maybe.’

‘Good,’ Sue said quietly. ‘Let them get it out of their systems.’

‘How is this good?’ Amy demanded. ‘Dan is twenty years younger than Kent!’

Sue raised an eyebrow. ‘And he’s Dan. He’s a coward. He has no killer instinct.’

‘I’m not standing here while they beat each other up,’ Amy said.

‘I’ll get the first aid kit,’ Joyce said, heading to the kitchen.

The front door opened, and Kent walked in, shaking his hand. He pushed past them all without a word and went to the kitchen.

‘See,’ Ben said. ‘He’s fine.’

Sue rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll check that Dan isn’t dead.’

‘There’s tarp upstairs,’ Ben said helpfully.

They looked at him blankly.

‘In case he is dead,’ he explained.

Amy shook her head and walked to the kitchen.

Kent had his right hand under the running tap. Joyce was rummaging through a first aid kit.

‘You feel better?’ Amy asked acidly.

‘I don’t think he broke anything,’ Joyce said. ‘There’s this little bone at the side of the hand that lots of people break in a fight. We call it a Boxer’s Break.’

Amy crossed her arms. ‘Not what I meant.’

Kent looked at Joyce. ‘Can you give us a moment?’

Joyce pouted. ‘Don’t split up! She needs you. And it sounds so much easier than dating one person.’

Amy watched her leave. ‘Easier? I can’t imagine how.’

‘She’s probably thinking that she’d have more “me time” if there was another person in her marriage,’ Kent said dryly.

‘Let me see your hand,’ Amy demanded. She stood close to dry off his hand and squint at the reddened and swollen knuckles. ‘What the hell were you thinking? You have to work together!’

‘I was thinking that I love you and Sue and I’m sick of him disrespecting you. For him to turn around and disrespect our relationship was too much.’

Amy sighed. ‘You need ice on this.’

‘There’s a chemical cold pack in the kit,’ Kent said. ‘Joyce said you need to thump it.’

‘There’s a lot of that going around,’ she grumbled.

‘I’m sorry I upset you,’ he said quietly.

‘You _scared_ me,’ she corrected. ‘What if you got hurt? What if you hurt Dan? What if you get mad and decide to hurt me?’

She knew from his expression, from the mix of shock and horror, but she let him say it.

‘I’ve never… I would never… Some things are inviolable… Beyond the pale…’

He might have carried on, but the door swung open and Sue brought Dan in. He was holding a handkerchief to his nose.

‘This one needs some ice,’ Sue said dismissively.

Amy pulled out the chemical ice pack, punched it, and handed it to them.

‘That was hot,’ Sue said.

‘She said that, not me,’ Dan said, his voice distorted.

‘You need to shake hands and call this over,’ Sue ordered.

‘We’re not six,’ Dan said.

Sue glowered at him until he stuck his hand out to Kent.

Kent offered his left hand. They shook awkwardly.

‘This cannot be the first time you’ve been punched over the way you treat women,’ Amy said.

Dan shook his head. ‘It’s not even the first time I was assaulted at this party.’

Kent snorted. ‘Are there some frozen peas in the freezer?’

Sue pulled a packet out and handed it to Kent. ‘We should return to the party before someone decides that Dan is dead and calls the police.’

Dan lowered the handkerchief. ‘Does it look broken?’

‘It’s difficult to tell with the swelling,’ Kent said diffidently. ‘It looks straight.’

Dan clucked his tongue. ‘There goes my trip to the plastic surgeon on the company dime.’

‘You don’t need a rhinoplasty,’ Sue said.

‘Does anyone _need_ one?’ Kent asked.

‘Hair plugs maybe,’ Amy said. ‘But not a nose job.’

Dan theatrically clutched his hand to his chest. ‘That hurts, Amy. That hurts far more than the punch to the nose.’

***

‘That really didn’t bother you?’ Amy said, looking over at Sue.

They were in the Uber home. It had been a long night, and several people had pressed whiskeys on Kent. He was dozing between the two women, his head lolling to one side.

‘If he hadn’t done it then I would have,’ Sue said. ‘I would have certainly broken his nose.’

‘I knew exactly who he was when I fucked him,’ Amy said. ‘I have to take some responsibility.’

‘And you are,’ Sue said. ‘He isn’t. He treated you appallingly and you haven’t had to spend weeks in his company, Kent has. This has been a long time coming. However, it’s done now. Hopefully that will be the end of it.’

‘I don’t need my honour defending,’ Amy muttered.

‘This isn’t just about you,’ Sue said. ‘It’s about all of us, including Megan.’ Her mouth twitched a little. ‘I don’t think I realised just how excited Kent is to be her father.’

Amy rested her hand on her belly. ‘Yeah, weirdo.’

‘So weird.’

Amy leaned across to kiss her. ‘Don’t punch Dan. It’ll look bad.’

‘Can I cut his brakes?’

‘That’s way worse!’

‘Set him on fire?’ Sue suggested.

‘How much have you had to drink?’

Sue smiled slightly. ‘Not quite enough to set him on fire.’

‘Thank Christ.’


	9. Chapter 9

Amy was working on her proposal for expanding the Clovis account when out of the corner of her eye she caught the storm cloud of Secret Service agents who always accompanied Selina. Amy had wondered from time to time what it was like to always have people around, silently listening, watching, and judging. Oh sure, they wouldn’t _say_ anything, look what happened when one of them had the gall to simply smile at Selina. But they were judging. Who wouldn’t? Especially with a woman like Selina Meyer.

As the cloud settled outside the meeting room, and Selina went inside, Catherine and Marjorie detached themselves. Catherine was carrying baby Richard, clutching him actually, and looking vaguely around.

Marjorie noticed Amy and came towards her, towing Catherine along like a recalcitrant tugboat. Ugh. Catherine was a downer at the very best of times and while Kent somehow connected with Marjorie on a philosophical level, Amy found her almost impossible to communicate with.

‘Hello Amy,’ Marjorie said.

‘Oh, you look so big!’ Catherine said.

‘Uh… thanks,’ Amy said. ‘Richard looks well.’

‘We’ve had to accept supplements,’ Marjorie said. ‘We’ve been to three different doctors. They all agree he has protein and vitamin deficiencies.’

Amy nodded in realisation. ‘Because of the raw vegan thing?’

‘It’s very disappointing,’ Marjorie said.

‘I could make him burgers,’ Catherine suggested. ‘With cheese. French fries on the side…’

Amy politely looked away from the dreamy expression.

‘That’s not necessary,’ Marjorie said. ‘The supplements will be enough.’

Amy thought, but didn’t say, that raw vegan food and supplements might stop being enough pretty much as soon as he went to a friend’s party offering real food.

‘You’re due in a few weeks?’ Marjorie asked.

‘Three weeks,’ Amy said. ‘But Kent’s had a bag packed for the past two. He likes to be prepared.’

‘We thought about asking him to father our baby,’ Catherine said. ‘He’s so smart. Handsome too, um, if you like that kind of thing.’

‘I guess the risks are greater with an older father,’ Amy said.

‘Somewhat,’ Marjorie said. ‘But given his history and general attitude it seemed unwise.’

Amy’s eyes widened. ‘Excuse me? What does that mean?’

Catherine waved her free hand. ‘His wife had lots of miscarriages and he really, really wanted to be a dad!’

Amy relaxed. ‘Oh that. I thought you were implying there was something wrong with him.’

Marjorie shook her head. ‘We didn’t intend on co-parenting with a father. It seems very likely Kent would have wanted that.’

Amy shrugged. ‘Instead you got Richard. Not sure that was the best swap.’

They sighed.

‘That didn’t go as planned,’ Marjorie admitted. 

‘Dan’s been very clear that he has no intention of being involved in Megan’s life,’ Amy said.

‘Has he signed away his parental rights?’ Marjorie asked.

‘I need to pick up the paperwork,’ Amy said. ‘Sue had our lawyer draw it up.’

‘You should get it done as soon as possible,’ Marjorie said. ‘Men can be extremely irrational and unpredictable.’

Catherine covered Richard’s ears. ‘I think that Dan is very predictable,’ she said. ‘In some ways.’

‘In this kind of way especially,’ Amy said.

From the meeting room, they heard a scream of rage.

‘She’s taking it well, huh?’ Amy asked. ‘I thought everyone agreed that she needs space from Clovis privacy questions.’

‘She’s really grown to rely on Ben and Kent,’ Catherine said. ‘I think she feels betrayed.’

‘Ben was sure that she was going to pay off the contract,’ Amy said, with an edge of nervousness.

‘She is,’ Marjorie said. ‘On paper she’s the one ending the contract.’

‘It’s better politically,’ Catherine said.

‘It’s definitely not because Ben told her that if she didn’t pay them off their NDA would be voided,’ Marjorie said.

Amy gaped at her. ‘That _cannot_ be right.’

‘She didn’t read the contract,’ Catherine said. ‘Kent had a clause put in.’

‘Wow,’ Amy said.

Marjorie shrugged. ‘She tried to make it look as if I embezzled the money from the Meyer fund. My sympathy is low.’

‘Mine is non-existent,’ Catherine said. ‘Ooh, we should all go out to dinner after the baby is born. Sometimes I spend all day in bed crying and it’s nice to have something to dress up for.’

Amy’s eyes widened. ‘Uh-huh.’

‘It’s the post-natal depression,’ Marjorie said. ‘It’s extremely difficult to cope with.’

Amy shuffled the papers on her desk. ‘That’s something to look forward to.’

The meeting room door was flung open and Selina’s heels snapped against the floor like a tattoo.

Amy was expecting Selina to sweep down the corridor. Instead she marched into Amy’s office. She waved Catherine and Marjorie out of the room.

‘So, this is where you washed up,’ she sneered. ‘Jumped up office girl to two decrepit losers and a third-rate lothario.’

Amy leaned back in her chair. ‘You done? Because I am.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘I don’t have to put up with your bullshit anymore, Selina. I don’t have to be your punching bag. So, I am declining your invitation to this. You’re not a toddler, Selina, and you are much, _much_ too old to have a temper tantrum.’

Selina narrowed her eyes. ‘There was a time when I thought you had potential, Amy, a time that I thought –’

‘There was a time when you had ideals,’ Amy interrupted. ‘When you wanted more than just power for the sake of power.’

‘Ha! Are you fucking kidding me? You worked for Jonah. JONAH! How does that square with your damn ideals?’

Amy pushed her hair behind her ear. ‘We’re both terrible people. Doesn’t mean you get to kick me around.’

Selina sighed. ‘I heard you’re shacking up in some weird Mormon threeway.’

‘Do any of us _look_ any kind of religious?’ Amy asked. ‘It’s purely shacking up together.’

Selina gave her an odd look. ‘Who’re we talking about?’

Amy took a breath, enjoying the anticipation. ‘Kent and Sue.’

Selina blinked a few times. ‘Kent and Sue?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Davison and… Wilson? Levinson? Whatever the fuck she’s calling herself.’

Amy let herself grin. ‘She is calling herself Wilson again. Yes.’

Selina twisted around on her spike heel to look out through the glass walls. ‘Kent has been on a fucking _tear_ this year,’ she muttered. ‘Why would you go for that?’

Amy shrugged. ‘I was dating Sue and we both realised that we had feelings for him.’

Selina stared at her. ‘And that’s Dan’s kid?’

‘She’s _my_ kid,’ Amy said. ‘Dan was barely a donor.’

‘Does Ben know he’s the only partner you haven’t…’ She trailed off and a horrified expression slid across her face.

‘I haven’t fucked Ben!’ Amy said. ‘And he knows. It’s not a secret.’

Selina was lost in thought. ‘No wonder he never took me up on a jump. He is way too fast.’

‘The horrific imagery just keeps coming,’ Amy muttered under her breath.

***

‘Like my body,’ Amy said.

Kent stood behind her and looked over her shoulder into the mirror. ‘Your body is not horrific.’

She snorted. ‘Saggy tits, distorted belly, oh yeah. I’m a real funhouse.’

He kissed her neck and his hands slid around from her back onto her belly. ‘I don’t see any of that.’ 

Amy put tilted her head so that he could gently suck her neck. ‘You need your eyes testing.’

He was gently stroking her belly. Fingertips light enough to make her shiver.

‘I have twenty-twenty vision,’ he whispered.

‘I bet you say that to all the heavily pregnant women,’ she murmured.

He swivelled her around to the dresser and she perched on it.

‘Only the ones I’m in love with.’ He slowly moved down her body, kissing her breasts, her belly, her thighs, and then her labia.

Perhaps it was a sound or a flicker of shadow against her eyelids, but something made her open her eyes.

Sue was stood in the doorway. She smiled and peeled off her underwear. ‘Don’t stop,’ she said.

‘You heard the lady,’ Amy mumbled, running her fingers into Kent’s hair.

His answer was the flicking of his tongue: around, across, along.

Sue was running her thumbs around her nipples.

Amy shifted slightly. ‘My back…’

Kent stood and smoothly scooped Amy into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and lay down, pulling her on top of him.

‘Better?’ he asked.

She bit her lip as he slid inside her. ‘Much.’ 

***

It wasn’t very dramatic. Not that Amy _thrived_ on drama or anything but given all the stuff with the failed abortion etc etc it was almost anticlimactic when she went into labour.

She was in a meeting. Her back had been hurting a little while but that was nothing new. She was fiddling with a pencil while Dan droned on about something. She had a contraction, strong enough to take her breath away, and broke the pencil in half.

Okay. No need to get all fucking bent out of shape about it. She looked at the clock and waited for the next one.

They were coming about every five minutes when Kent put his hand over hers. He gave her a silently concerned look.

‘I’m having contractions,’ she whispered to him.

‘That’s self-evident,’ he said. ‘Sue has arranged an Uber.’

Amy looked over at Sue on the other side of the table. ‘How?’

‘They have apps you know.’

Dan cleared his throat. ‘Is Amy going to the hospital now or shall I carry on while she gives birth on the conference table?’

‘Don’t give her ideas,’ Sue said severely.

‘Hey, if _anyone_ was going to give birth at work it would be you,’ Amy said.

‘Fortunately, I don’t have to.’

Dan threw up his hands. ‘Meeting abandoned, I guess. Someone wake Ben up as you head out.’

Kent shook Ben’s shoulder.

‘I’m not asleep,’ Ben grumbled.

‘Then you’ll know where we’re going,’ Kent said tartly.

Ben looked around the room. ‘To the delivery room.’

‘Congratulations on being able to recognise a woman in labour,’ Kent said dryly.

‘It’s a gift all right,’ Ben said. ‘Okay, you go do the thing. Dan and I will hold down the fort. Where’s that list of people to call?’

‘It’s on your jotter,’ Kent said.

‘I’ll be available via email,’ Sue said to Dan.

‘Great,’ Dan said.

‘The Uber has arrived,’ Sue announced.

‘Good luck,’ Ben said, kissing Amy on the forehead. ‘With these two in the delivery room you’ll need it.’

‘Did you even make it to the delivery room for the birth of your children?’ Kent asked tartly.

‘Nobody wanted me there!’ Ben said. ‘It’s not a joyous celebration of life or any of that crap. It’s hard and it’s painful and it’s gross.’

‘Which is why we’re going to be there to support Amy,’ Sue said.

‘How would you know what it’s like?’ Kent asked Ben. ‘You’ve never been there.’

‘I watched Lucky whelp,’ he said. He abruptly stopped talking when Amy glared at him.

Dan clapped his hands together. ‘Okay, time to go.’

***

Amy was not generally a woman interested in oblivion. She drank sometimes, sure, but never more than two small glasses _at most_. The idea of being out of control was horrifying. She’d never done drugs. Not even weed.

Now she was singing _I’m Too Sexy_ at the top of her voice. She was vaguely aware of someone saying something about a very low tolerance for analgesics, but blah blah boring.

‘I suspect that she’d quite like to at least _be aware_ that she’s giving birth,’ Kent said.

‘Isn’t it necessary for bonding?’ Sue asked.

‘We’re tapering the dose off,’ some guy said. ‘She won’t be quite this exuberant for very long.’

‘I’m hungry,’ Amy announced. ‘I want a cheeseburger.’

‘Now I’m hungry,’ Sue complained.

***

Thank fuck that they’d given Amy all the drugs because Jesus, she needed _something_ to help her deal with Kent crying. Crying! Even Sue was dabbing her eyes. What was wrong with people? It wasn’t any kind of a –

Oh.

_Oh_.

Red skin. Muddy blue eyes. Blonde peach fuzz hair.

‘You need a nap, mom?’

Amy nodded as she closed her eyes. ‘Yeah.’

She felt Kent kiss her cheek, his whiskers brushing softly against her skin. Sue kissed her on the lips.

‘We’ll be back soon,’ Sue promised.

***

Amy knew. She didn’t know _exactly_ but she knew something was up as soon as Sue sidled into the room. Sue Wilson did not sidle, skulk, lurk, or loiter. She strode through life without apology or excuse. But now she was nervous, licking her lips, and rubbing her hands together. 

‘Are you okay?’ Kent said. He was holding Megan with gradually increasing confidence.

‘I’m aware that legally we have no recourse for having our relationship recognised,’ Sue said, tottering forward.

‘This sounds like a prepared speech,’ Kent observed.

‘It does,’ Amy said. ‘Shut up and let her get it out.’

‘I had these made,’ Sue said, thrusting out several boxes. ‘They’re matching.’

Kent and Amy took the boxes that were handed to them. Inside were copper/titanium rings. Amy and Sue’s had a central emerald and were studded with small diamond and emerald chips. Kent’s ring had an emerald coloured band and a delicate black inlay.

‘These are beautiful,’ Amy said.

Kent put his on his ring finger. ‘These are perfect. Thank you, Sue.’ 

Sue blew out her cheeks. ‘Okay then.’

***

Amy hadn’t been sure about nursing. Sophie had been gleeful in telling her how hard it was and full of stories about inverted, cracked, or infected nipples. Or inverted, cracked, _and_ infected. Yeah, she’d read all the stuff about the health benefits and the arguments back and forth. Basically, she’d landed on trying it and kind of hoping that it didn’t work so she could stop.

Megan hadn’t got the memo. She latched on her second attempt and attacked with gusto. Sue was picking up the last-minute things that Amy needed while Kent was in the cafeteria picking them up some food. So, Amy was surprised when someone knocked at the door.

‘Hey,’ Dan said softly. ‘Can I come in?’

‘Did you bring snacks?’

He rattled a box of chocolates at her.

‘Then you can come in,’ she said. She put Megan into the little cot.

He almost crept into the room and sat very carefully in the guest chair.

‘This is her, huh?’ he asked.

‘Why the fuck are you whispering?’ she asked, turning around the ring on her finger.

He shrugged. ‘It seemed appropriate.’ He reached out and gently stroked Megan’s head. ‘This is kind of amazing.’

She sighed. ‘I know. There’s this tiny human being. I made her. She has all these experiences ahead of her. She has so much amazing potential.’

Dan licked his lips. ‘I know I haven’t behaved very well,’ he said. ‘I’ve been giving some thought. If there’s anything I can do to help, anything at all, you just tell me.’

Amy thought about it as she stroked the back of Megan’s head. ‘There’s one thing you can do.’

‘Tell me, anything at all.’

She reached around for her purse. Dan grabbed it and put it on the bed. Amy dug into it with one hand. After a few seconds she pulled out a file. She handed it to him.

‘I’m not sure why I didn’t do this before,’ she admitted. She glanced at her ring. ‘Maybe I wasn’t quite ready. I’m ready now.’

‘What is it?’ Dan asked opening the folder and looking at the paperwork.

‘Surrender of your paternal rights,’ Amy said. ‘You just sign there and she’s not your problem.’

Dan stared at the folder. With the flickering fluorescent lights, it was hard to tell, but she thought a little of his colour spilled away.

‘This is what you want?’ he asked quietly.

‘Yeah. It is.’

He nodded, apparently more for himself then for her, and signed the papers.

‘You’re gonna be a great mom, Ames,’ he said.

Someone cleared their throat. Kent was in the doorway, holding a tray of food. Sue was next to him. She had her eyes narrowed.

‘Everything okay?’ Kent asked.

‘Just signing the paperwork,’ Dan said quickly. ‘I’ll get out of your hair.’

Sue plumped up Amy’s pillows as Kent closed the door behind Dan.

‘I think she’s finally finished,’ Amy said. ‘You want to hold her?’

Sue nodded and then looked at Kent. ‘Do you want to first?’

‘You go,’ he said. ‘We have plenty of time.’

Amy smiled as Sue took Megan. ‘All the time we need.’

The End


End file.
